UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA. 


GIFT    OF 


BIOLOGY 

LIBRARY  Class 

G 


Plate  V. 


<  \  lit /•/.// r  /b/r/M 


LITTLE  THINGS. 


PHILADELPHIA: 

THE  BIBLE  AND  PUBLICATION  SOCIETY, 
83O  Arch  Street. 


|q\ 


GREAT  WONDERS 


IN 


LITTLE  THINGS 


BY  REV.  SIDNEY  DYER,  A.M. 


PHILADELPHIA  : 

THE  BIBLE  AND  PUBLICATION  SOCIETY, 
530  ARCH  STREET. 


UBRARV 

G 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1871,  by 

THE  BIBLE  AND  PUBLICATION    SOCIETY, 
In  the  office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington. 


WESTCOTT   &   THOMSON, 
Stereotypers,  Philada. 


PREFACE. 


As  the  object  in  preparing  this  work  was  not 
to  teach  science,  but  to  amuse  and  instruct  chil- 
dren, the  hard  names  and  scientific  classifications 
have  been,  as  far  as  possible,  omitted  in  the  text. 
At  the  same  time,  care  has  been  taken  that  the 
statements  should  be  reliable  descriptions  of  the 
different  objects.  The  author  has  presented  classes 
rather  than  individual  species;  but  for  the  bene- 
fit of  those  who  may  desire  to  become  acquainted 
with  the  terminology  a  list  has  been  prepared  to 
accompany  each  plate. 

While  aiming  to  bring  minute  objects  as  vividly 
as  possible  before  the  minds  of  the  young,  the 
author  is  aware  that  no  description  will  give  his 
youthful  readers  any  just  conception  of  micro- 
scopic revelations;  hence  he  has  provided  care- 
fully-prepared original  and  selected  drawings  of 
the  forms  of  life  described,  and  grouped  them  in 

2271^8 


4  PREFACE. 

classes,  so  as  to  give  a  vivid  impression  of  the 
objects  treated  in  the  text,  in  most  cases  colored 
as  near  to  life  as  possible. 

In  addition  to  his  own  long  and  careful  studies, 
the  writer  acknowledges  his  large  indebtedness  to 
Ehrenberg,  Gosse,  Drs.  Hogg  and  Griffith  and 
Pritchard,  from  whom  he  has  borrowed  freely 
both  statement  and  illustration. 

This  work  is  an  attempt  to  fill  a  wholly  unoc- 
cupied niche  in  juvenile  literature,  and  it  has 
been  the  special  aim  to  impress  the  young  reader 
with  the  beautiful  and  profound  moral  lessons 
which  Natural  History,  properly  understood,  al- 
ways teaches,  and  for  which  microscopic  studies 
furnish  peculiarly  impressive  occasions. 


CONTENTS. 


I.— THE  Two  MENAGERIES 9 

II.— THE  EXPEDITION 21 

III.— THE  WONDERFUL  OPTICS 33 

IV. — MONADS  AND  PARAMECIUM 51 

V.— KOTIFERS 67 

VI. — VORTICELLA 85 

VII. — EUGLENA,   AST  ASIA,   AND   VlBRIONES 105 

VIII. — POLYPS  AND  POLYZOA 117 

IX. — MINUTE  WONDERS  OF  THE  SEA 131 

X. — CORAL  POLYPS  AND  THEIR  DWELLINGS 151 

XL — ANNELIDA 169 

XII. — CONFERVOID  ALG^E 187 

XIII. — PALMELLA,  DESMIDS,  AND  VOLVOCINE 207 

XIV.— LIVING  DIATOMS , 227 

'    XV.— FOSSIL  INFUSORIA 243 

XVI. — PRACTICAL  USES  OF  THE  MICROSCOPE 263 

XVII. — PRACTICAL  USES  OF  THE  MICROSCOPE. — CON- 
TINUED   281 

XVIIL— THE  FINAL  EXHIBITION 301 

XIX.— THE  SURPRISE 319 

1*  5 


hwr 


GREAT  WONDERS  IN  LITTLE  THINGS. 


CHAPTER    I. 

THE   TWO  MENAGERIES. 

""VTOW,  isn't  that  too  bad!"  said  Alf  Green  as 
-^-^  the  children  came  pouring  out  of  the  old 
brown  school-house  at  Woodlawn,  from  which  they 
had  just  been  dismissed.  "The  great  menagerie 
will  be  in  town  to-morrow  with  elephants,  the  hip- 
popotamus, lions,  tigers,  monkeys,  and  all  sorts  of 
curious  animals,  and  Mr.  Willard  will  not  grant  us 
even  a  half  holiday  that  we  may  go  and  see  them. 
It  is  real  mean  in  him,  and  I  don't  think  we  ought 
to  stand  it.  I'm  sure  there  can  be  no  great  harm 
in  going  to  see  a  show  of  wild  beasts.  We  don't 
often  get  the  chance,  and  it  is  right  down  cruel  to 
deprive  us  of  such  a  rare  opportunity  to  study  nat- 
ural history." 

"  But  you  forget,"  said  George  Snow,  a  sober  and 
thoughtful  lad  who  always  respected  the  opinions 
and  wishes  of  his  teacher^  "to  state  the  reasons  which 

9 


10        GREAT    WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

Mr.  Willard  gave  to  justify  his  refusal.  You  know 
he  very  clearly  stated  that  he  had  no  objections  to 
the  exhibition  of  natural  curiosities,  but  could  not 
approve  of  the  circus  connected  with  it,  where  men 
and  women  often  appear  very  improperly  dressed, 
who  use  vulgar  and  profane  language,  and  whose 
evil  influences  will  far  more  than  counterbal- 
ance all  the  information  that  may  be  obtained. 
Besides  this,  you  recollect,  he  promised  that  we 
should  have  a  menagerie  at  the  school  which  would 
contain  more  and  rarer  animals  than  would  be  found 
in  the  traveling  show.  Just  remember,  too,  we're  to 
have  a  jolly  time  in  catching  them  all  ourselves !" 

"  Now  isn't  that  a  likely  story,"  responded  Tim 
Allen.  "  I  wonder  where  he  will  find  his  great  curi- 
osities in  these  parts?  for  I  know  every  nook  and 
corner  around  Woodlawn,  and  I  haven't  seen  any- 
thing outside  of  our  barnyard  larger  than  a  chip- 
monk  or  a  musk-rat,  and  it  is  rather  too  short  notice 
to  fit  out  an  expedition  to  Asia  or  Africa  and  hope  to 
get  back  with  our  collection  by  to-morrow  afternoon. 
He  is  only  trying  to  pull  the  wool  over  our  eyes, 
and  I  for  one  am  not  going  to  stand  it.  I  guess  my 
father  will  give  me  permission  to  go,  if  Mr.  Willard 
won't." 

"It  does  seem  a  strange  promise,"  replied  George 
Siiow,  "but, Mr.  Willard  ha£  never  deceived  us,  and 


GREAT   WONDERS    IN    LITTLE   THINGS.       11 

I  confess  I  am  more  interested  to  learn  how  he  will 
redeem  his  pledge  than  I  am  to  attend  the  men- 
agerie. I  am  quite  sure  he  will  have  something  par- 
ticularly interesting  to  show  us,  and  I  shall  not  ask 
my  father  for  an  excuse  that  I  may  be  absent  with- 
out censure." 

"That's  just  the  way  I  feel,"  said  Willie  Hunt. 
"  We  all  know  that  we  have  a  glorious  good  teacher, 
who  tries. to  do  all  he  can  to  instruct  and  make  us 
happy ;  and,  for  one,  I'm  not  going  to  do  anything 
that  he  disapproves  of  or  manifest  a  want  of  respect. 
I'm  sure  we  ought  to  return  his  kindness  by  at  least 
respecting  his  wishes." 

This,  after  a  further  interchange  of  opinion, 
seemed  the  general  sentiment  of  the  scholars  as  they 
separated  for  their  homes.  And  as  they  scattered, 
there  was  such  an  increasing  curiosity  to  find  out 
Mr.  Willard's  secret  as  ensured  a  prompt  and  full 
attendance  on  the  following  day,  without  any  very 
strong  regrets  at  being  deprived  of  the  sightseeing 
at  the  menagerie  and  circus. 

In  every  home  that  night  there  was  much  chatting 
and  guessing  as  to  what  Mr.  Willard  could  mean, 
nor  could  the  maturer  information  of  the  parents 
ttirow  much  light  on  the  subject,  except,  perhaps,  in 
the  case  of  good  old  Dr.  Newton.  In  reply  to  the 
questions  and  chatter  of  his  inquisitive  little  daugh- 


12        GREAT    WONDERS    IN    LITTLE   THINGS. 

ter  Nettie,  he  quietly  remarked  that  there  were 
some  things  in  this  great  world  of  wonders  that  could 
not  be  seen  with  common  eyes,  and  it  was  more  than 
likely  that  Mr.  Willard  possessed  an  uncommon 
pair,  so  wonderfully  constructed  that  they  could  see 
strange  things  where  there  seemed  to  be  nothing,  and 
what  was  stranger  still,  he  could  lend  them  to  others 
without  impairing  their  wonderful  powers. 

Little  Nettie's  own  eyes  grew  large  with  wonder 
as  she  exclaimed : 

"  Why,  papa,  I  know  that  people  sometimes  wear 
artificial  eyes,  for  I've  seen  old  Mr.  Brooks  take  one 
of  his  out  and  put  it  back  again,  but  I  didn't  know 
that  any  one  could  see  with  such  eyes." 

"Neither  can  they,  my  pet,"  replied  the  doctor. 
"  But  all  eyes  are  not  made  alike,  and  perhaps  your 
bright  little  peepers,  which  certainly  are  sharp 
enough  for  some  purposes,  and  sometimes  see  a  little 
too  much,  may  find  out  many  curious  things  by 
taking  a  look  through  Mr.  Willard's  wonderful  op- 
tics. It  is  more  than  likely,  when  you  have  done 
so,  that  you  will  lose  your  relish  for  certain  sweet 
things  of  which  you  are  very  fond." 

Nettie  was  puzzled  more  than  ever,  but  with  all 
her  teasing  and  fond  kisses  she  could  get  no  more 
satisfactory  explanation  of  Mr.  Willard's  purpose, 
and  had  to  wait  until  the  next  day  should  solve  the 


GEEAT   WONDERS    IN   LITTLE   THINGS.       13 

mystery.     It  is  but  truth  to  say  that  it  was  a  severe 
tax  upon  her  curiosity  and  patience. 

In  this  she  was  not  alone,  for  many  a  young  head, 
amid  the  slumbers  of  that  intervening  night,  was 
filled  with  dreams  wherein  lions,  tigers,  monkeys, 
and  other  wild  and  strange  beasts  played  a  conspicu- 
ous part,  with  some  nondescript  creatures  which  are 
not  found  in  Buffon  or  Goldsmith,  and  certainly  did 
not  meet* their  counterparts  in  the  exhibition  seen 
on  the  following  day. 

.  When  morning  at  last  put  to  flight  these  crea- 
tures of  the  imagination,  there  was  an  unusual 
promptness  in  the  youthful  toilets  in  Wood  lawn, 
and  healthy  appetites  were  quickly  satisfied  without 
much  epicurean  regard  to  the  quality  of  the  viands 
set  before  them. 

The  old  school-house  bell  no  sooner  rung  out  the, 
for  once,  tardy  hour  of  nine  o'clock  than  there  was 
a  mutual  rush  to  get  the  first  sight  of  the  collection 
of  wonders  which  they  supposed  Mr.  Willard  would 
have  to  begin  with.  When  all  were  at  last  seated 
in  their  usual  places,  it  was  not  difficult  to  read 
those  youthful  countenances,  where  curiosity  and 
disappointment  were  so  strongly  blended.  Nothing 
out  of  the  accustomed  order  met  their  gaze,  save  that 
on  the  desk  of  their  teacher  they  noticed  a  number 
of  small,  open-mouthed  glass  jars,  a  few  paper  boxes 
2 


14        GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

such  as  druggists  use  for  putting  up  pills,  and  a 
small  box  in  which  these  things  seemed  to  fit. 

As  they  sat  looking  at  each  other  some  could  not 
restrain  a  quizzical  expression,  which  plainly  indi- 
cated their  conviction  that  a  practical  joke  had  been 
played  upon  them.  Others  as  plainly  showed,  by  a 
nervous  restlessness,  their  entire  want  of  appreciation 
of  such  treatment  on  the  part  of  their  teacher.  It 
seemed  to  be  adding  insult  to  a  supposed  wrong. 
Some  were  vexed  and  disappointed,  and  took  no 
pains  to  conceal  their  feelings. 

From  a  survey  of  those  youthful  faces  one  could 
not  have  failed  in  the  conclusion  that  a  large  por- 
tion of  the  scholars  had  secretly  resolved  to  play 
truant  in  the  afternoon,  in  order  to  attend  the  con- 
traband exhibition. 

All  this  was  plainly  observed  by  the  devoted 
teacher,  whose  countenance  wore  a  calm  but  some- 
what quizzical  expression,  indicating  a  quiet  enjoy- 
ment of  the  groundless  perplexity  of  his  beloved 
pupils,  yet  evincing  a  consciousness  of  ability  to  re- 
move all  their  unfavorable  suspicions  by  affording 
them  instruction  and  amusement  which  would  more 
than  compensate  for  the  self-denial  which  he  had 
called  upon  them  to  practice. 

The  school  was  opened  in  the  usual  manner,  Mr. 
Willard  reading  before  prayer  the  one  hundred  and 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN    LITTLE   THINGS.      15 

fourth  Psalm.  The  children  noticed  that  he  read 
with  unusual  emphasis,  especially  when  repeating 
the  twenty-fourth  and  fifth  verses : 

"  O  Lord,  how  wonderful  are  thy  works;  in  wis- 
dom hast  thou  made  them  all ;  the  earth  is  full  of 
thy  riches.  So  is  this  great  and  wide  sea,  wherein 
are  things  creeping  innumerable,  both  small  and 
great  beasts/' 

After  this  interesting  exercise  was  concluded,  the 
teacher  said : 

"My  dear  pupils,  I  am  much  gratified  at  the  con- 
fidence you  have  shown  by  your  full  and  prompt  at- 
tendance this  morning,  and  I  hope  I  shall  so  succeed 
in  my  efforts  to  instruct  and  please  you  that  you 
will  have  no  occasion  to  regret  your  cheerful  acqui- 
escence in  my  plans  for  spending  the  day,  nor  feel  that 
you  have  lost  any  valuable  instruction  or  real  enjoy- 
ment by  not  witnessing  the  public  exhibition  which  is 
to  visit  our  town  to-day.  If,  however,  I  shall  unfor- 
tunately not  meet  your  expectations,  you  must  at- 
tribute it  to  a  want  of  ability,  and  not  to  a  want  of 
proper  regard  for  your  highest  good. 

"  As  we  shall  have  none  of  the  usual  recitations 
to-day,  you  may  put  your  books  carefully  away.  I 
suggest,  however,  that  you  provide  yourselves  with 
pencils  and  paper,  that  you  may  carefully  make  a 
note  of  what  you  may  see  or  hear,  closing  up  your 


16        GREAT   WONDERS    IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

record  by  expressing  your  estimate  of  the  manner  in, 
which  you  have  spent  your  time,  and  the  profit  de- 
rived from  the  subjects  which  I  may  present.  Let 
this  record  be  made  up  as  a  true  sketch  of  your  feel- 
ings ;  and  to  all  those  who  finally  decide  that  they 
could  have  enjoyed  themselves  more  rationally  and 
pleasantly  by  attending  the  menagerie  than  by  wit- 
nessing what  I  shall  have  to  show,  I  promise  a  half 
holiday  and  twenty-five  cents,  the  price  charged  for 
entering  the  show,  to  spend  as  they  please. 

"  Now,  permit  me  to  say  that  objects  become  in- 
teresting to  us  both  from  their  variety  and  the  won- 
derful mechanism  displayed  in  their  organization. 
There  is  no  more  skill  exhibited  in  the  construction 
of  an  elephant  or  a  lion  than  there  is  in  that  of  the 
ox  or  the  horse,  and  the  only  reason  why  they  excite 
more  curiosity  than  these  familiar  and  useful  crea- 
tures is  because  they  are  so  seldom  seen  in  our  coun- 
try, being  natives  of  Asia  and  Africa,  whence  they 
are  imported  with  great  expense  for  the  purpose  of 
exhibition.  In  some  parts  of  the  world  our  common 
animals  are  as  great  a  curiosity  as  are  these  noble 
beasts  to  us,  and  it  is  certainly  a  gratifying  fact  to 
know  that  ours  are  far  the  most  useful. 

"  Most  of  you,  if  not  all,  have  seen  specimens  of 
all  the  strange  animals  included  in  the  collection 
which  is  to  visit  our  town,  and  would,  therefore,  learn 


GREAT   WONDERS    IN    LITTLE   THINGS.       17 

little  that  is  strange  or  new.  But  there  may  be  in 
this  vast  world  of  ours,  so  full  of  the  riches  of  divine 
skill,  creatures  quite  as  wonderful  in  their  construc- 
tion and  habits,  and,  indeed,  much  more  so,  which 
you  have  never  seen,  and  of  whose  existence  you 
have,  perhaps,  no  knowledge. 

"  Because  they  are  so  much  smaller  will  in  nowise 
lessen  our  wonder,  but  rather  increase  it,  as  they 
exhibit  th«  Creator's  power  and  wisdom  in  a  more 
marvelous  degree.  Man  can  imitate  all  large  crea- 
tures by  carved  images  or  painted  likenesses ;  he  can 
construct  models  of  all  their  organs,  and  place  them 
in  the  body  properly  located — in  short,  do  all  but 
give  the  animal  the  breath  of  life.  But  when  we 
find  creatures  so  minute  that  our  unaided  natural 
senses  utterly  fail  to  discover  even  the  fact  of  their 
existence,  and  when  discovered  by  the  aid  of  the 
most  wonderfully  constructed  instruments  we  find  it 
quite  impossible  for  us  to  handle  and  dissect  them, 
we  can  only  say  with  the  inspired  and  astonished 
Psalmist,  '  Such  knowledge  is  too  wonderful  for  me.' 
With  these  marvelous  forms  of  life  we  can  do  noth- 
ing :  it  is  only  with  a  magnified  image  that  we 
learn  something  of  the  invisible  reality. 

"  It  is  to  such  a  world  of  nature  that  I  seek  to 
introduce  you  to-day,  and  if  I  mistake  not,  you  will 
be  wiser  when  night  shall  come,  and  I  trust  better 
2*  B 


18        GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

also,  for  unless  this  shall  be  the  result,  your  know- 
ledge will  profit  you  little.  The  mere  knowing  is 
but  a  personal  gratification :  it  is  what  that  know- 
ledge leads  us  to. do  that  is  the  great  end  of  all  just 
attainments : 

"  'Tis  not  what  you  know,  but  the  good  you  may  do, 
That  rounds  out  your  manhood,  full,  earnest,  and  true." 

"The  works  of  God  are  sought  out  by  all  those 
who  have  pleasure  therein.  But  unless  each  acqui- 
sition leads  to  a  greater  reverence  and  love  for  him 
whose  wisdom  and  goodness  created  all  these  things, 
our  knowledge  but  puffeth  up,  and  is  vain.  For  a 
man  that  is  in  honor,  and  understandeth  not,  is  like 
the  beasts  that  perish  I" 


ambition. 


19 


CHAPTER    II. 

THE  EXPEDITION. 

A  FTER  a  brief  intermission,  Mr.  Willard  again 
-^•*-  called  the  attention  of  the  children,  and  re- 
sumed his  discourse. 

"  It  may  be  an  act,"  said  he,  "  requiring  more 
personal  courage  to  capture  the  huge  hippopotamus 
in  his  reedy  lair,  or  beard  the  kingly  lion  in  his 
native  jungle,  than  we  shall  be  called  upon  to  exer- 
cise in  making  our  collection  to-day ;  but  I  feel 
quite  sure  that  we  can  realize  as  much  true  pleasure 
in  the  pursuit  of  our  treasures  as  do  the  Eastern 
Nimrods,  and  we  shall  have  no  distracting  fears  of 
the  fatal  results  often  attending  their  more  daring 
expeditions  after  the  fierce  denizens  of  the  Asiatic 
jungles.  Nor  shall  we  have  to  hunt  so  far  and  so 
long  for  our  prey  as  to  become  overwearied,  and 
thus  lessen  the  pleasures  of  our  excursion.  In 
another  respect  we  have  a  great  advantage  over 
hunters  after  larger  game.  Their  outfit  often  costs 
a  small  fortune,  for  which  they  get  little  or  no  re- 
turn, as  they  frequently  come  back  more  empty- 

21 


22        GREAT   WONDERS    IN    LITTLE   THINGS. 


Jars  for  Specimens. 


handed  than  they  went.  A  few  dollars  is  all  the  ex- 
pense we  shall  incur  in  providing  our  full  equip- 
ment. 

"  Our  cages  are  not  large  nor  very  strong,  as  you 

at  once  perceive. 

"  Small  and  frail  as 
they  are,  they  will 
prove  ample  for  all 
the  purposes  of  our  ex- 
pedition, being  abun- 
dantly capacious  and 
secure  for  all  the  cap- 
tures we  shall  make. 
Small  as  they  are, 
however,  I  shall  be  greatly  disappointed  if  you  do 
not  return  with  a  vastly  larger  collection  of  wonder- 
ful curiosities  than  can  be  found  under  the  great 
canvas  tent  which  I  saw  them  pitching  out  yonder 
on  the  common  as  I  came  to  the  school-house  this 
morning. 

"  In  our  hunting  expedition  the  girls  can  share 
without  the  least  fear  of  harm,  or  of  doing  anything 
unbecoming  the  proprieties  of  their  sex.  Indeed,  I 
shall  be  much  surprised  if  they  do  not  return  with 
quite  as  large  an  assortment  of  curiosities  as  the 
boys  will  obtain.  To  them  I  shall  assign  these  little 
boxes  as  receptacles  of  what  they  may  secure.  To 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.      23 

you,  boys,  I  will  distribute  these  little  bottles  in  the 
case  now  before  me,  and  permit  me  to  express  the 
ardent  hope  that  you  will  never  use  a  bottle  to  any 
worse  purpose.  Many  have  found  the  bottle  to  con- 
tain something  far  more  dangerous  than  the  wild 
beast  of  the  forest — something  which  at  last  '  biteth 
like  a  serpent  and  stingeth  like  an  adder.'  Most 
fatally  does  it  fasten  its  poisonous  fangs  in  the 
bosoms  of  those  who  thus  dare  to  toy  with  it. 

"  Our  searching  will  have  to  be  made  in  various 
directions,  in  order  to  secure  a  sufficient  variety  of 
animals  to  make  our  exhibition  interesting,  and  you 
can  divide  yourselves  into  parties  according  to  your 
preferences,  each  different  company  taking  one  or 
more  of  these  bottles  and  boxes.  Small  as  they  are, 
you  will  doubtless  bring  back  in  them  a  far  greater 
number  of  wonderful  creatures  than  you  now  have 
any  conception  of,  yet  your  cages  will  not  be  over- 
crowded nor  will  you  be  burdened  in  bringing  back 
your  acquisitions. 

"  By  a  count  which  I  have  made,  the  show  on  the 
common  will  contain  less  than  one  hundred  animals, 
including  the  beautiful  horses,  which  form  a  large 
part  of  the  attraction.  My  calculations  will  be  very 
much  at  fault  if  you  do  not  bring  back  in  each  one 
of  these  receptacles  hundreds  and  thousands  of  most 
curious  and  wonderful  creatures,  although  some  of 


24        GREAT    WONDERS   IN    LITTLE   THINGS. 

you  will  return  with  apparently  only  a  few  drops  of 
clear  water. 

"  One  thing  further  before  I  distribute  these  requi- 
sites of  our  expedition. 

"  If  there  is  a  boy  or  girl  present  who  really  does 
not  wish  heartily  to  join  in  our  day's  enjoyment,  let 
such  a  one  please  hold  up  the  hand,  and  leave  of 
absence  will  be  granted,  as  we  want  no  unwilling 
members  in  our  company."  Mr.  Willard  paused  for  a 
few  moments,  but  there  were  none  who  seemed  disposed 
to  avail  themselves  of  this  once-coveted  privilege. 

"I  am  very  much  gratified/'  said  Mr.  Willard, 
"  to  find  that  none  wish  to  withdraw  from  our 
circle." 

Taking  up  one  of  the  bottles,  he  continued  : 

"  I  noticed  last  week,  as  I  passed  by  Deacon  Nor- 
ton's pasture,  that  there  was  a  small  pond  of  water 
which  has  remained  there  under  the  influences  of  the 
warm  sunshine  ever  since  the  last  refreshing  thunder 
shower.  It  has  rested  there  on  the  rich  sward,  ap- 
pearing bright  and  clear  as  when  it  first  fell  fresh 
and  sparkling  from  the  clouds.  I  especially  want  a 
bottle  of  that,  and  will  assign  to  Alfred  Green,  and 
three  or  four  others  who  may  choose  to  accompany 
him,  the  duty  of  obtaining  it.  Do  not  let  the  com- 
mission be  regarded  as  a  small  matter,  for  it  is  more 
than  probable  that  you  will  bring  to  our  collection 


GREAT   WONDERS    IN   LITTLE   THINGS.      25 

more  trophies  than  any  other  party  which  may  be 
sent  out. 

"  Willie  Hunt  and  party  may  search  the  old  ditch 
running  through  Squire  Walton's  bog  meadow, 
making  their  captures  where  the  rushes  and  spatter- 
docks  grow  so  thickly  from  its  muddy  bottom.  It 
is  a  region  full  of  life,  and  I  have  little  doubt  that 
many  very  curious  specimens  will  be  added  to  our 
collection.' 

"  George  Snow,  you  may  fill  your  glass  cage  in 
the  adjoining  field,  where  there's  a  stagnant  pond 
filled  with  water-lilies  and  long  fronds  of  hornwort 
and  Vallisneria,  with  some  portions  of  its  surface 
wearing  a  greenish  covering.  I  will  answer  for  the 
full  complement  of  rare  creatures  which  you  will 
capture  by  the  operation. 

"  Timothy  Allen  may  visit  the  marl  pits  over  the 
hills,  where  will  be  found  deposits  of  two  varieties 
of  marl,  distinct  both  in  color  and  composition — one 
being  a  mass  formed  almost  entirely  of  shells,  many 
of  which  are  of  good  size  and  of  perfect  shape,  while 
the  other  is  of  a  dark  green  shade,  appearing  as  a 
sandy,  friable  substance,  but  being  in  reality  the 
skeletons  of  an  extinct  race  of  tiny  creatures,  mil- 
lions of  which  are  found  in  every  square  inch  of  the 
deposit.  It  is  owing  to  this  fact  that  it  has  become 
a  source  of  great  wealth  to  the  neighboring  farmers, 

3 


26        GREAT    WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

bringing  rich  fertility  to  fields  which  would  other- 
wise not  pay  for  their  culture. 

"  Another  party  of  boys  may  secure  some  water 
from  the  clear  spring  brook  behind  the  old  stone 
meeting-house,  taking  it  up  where  the  thick  water- 
cresses  grow,  and  though  we  may  not  find  so  many 
animals  in  the  water  which  they  will  obtain,  we  shall 
obtain  some  very  beautiful  ones,  with  a  multitude  of 
objects  of  rare  form  and  color." 

The  boxes  were  then  distributed  to  the  girls,  who 
were  sent  to  catch  vagrant  butterflies  and  millers 
with  as  many  varieties  of  colors  as  possible,  to  bring 
thimbles  full  of  Tripoli  dust  and  rotten  stone,  chips 
of  limestone  or  marble,  grains  of  stale  sugar,  the 
dust  of  old  figs,  damaged  flour,  stale  vinegar,  and 
many  other  things  which  might  add  interest  to  the 
future  examinations,  until  each  scholar  had  some 
important  commission  to  fulfill  in  the  grand  prepara- 
tions for  the  coming  entertainment. 

This  arrangement  completed,  the  school  was  dis- 
missed until  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  when  each 
party  was  to  report  the  measure  of  success,  and  the 
grand  results  of  the  entire  campaign  were  to  be  pro- 
duced. 

In  the  excited  group  which  once  more  came  pour- 
ing out  of  the  old  school-house  door  there  was  not 
one  who  entertained  any  lingering  regrets  about  miss- 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.      27 

ing  a  visit  to  the  exhibition  on  the  common.  They 
began  to  have  an  inkling  of  the  nature  of  the  treat 
which  their  teacher  was  preparing  for  them — a  field 
of  interest  entirely  new,  and  one  which  they  felt  it 
would  be  a  rare  opportunity  to  investigate. 

When  they  scattered  to  fulfill  their  various  com- 
missions, there  went  forth  a  happy  company  of  youth- 
ful searchers  after  the  wonderful.  So  eager  and 
earnest  were  they  that  the  distant  sound  of  the  circus 
band  approaching  for  the  grand  entree  into  the  bor- 
ough did  not  long  delay  many  of  their  active  feet, 
but  away  to  the  meadows  and  hills  they  rushed, 
happy  in  half  a  day's  freedom,  free  to  ramble  among 
the  beauties  of  nature,  breathing  the  free  air  with 
elastic  lungs  that  sent  the  fresh  blush  of  the  summer 
roses  to  their  cheeks.  Moreover,  each  one  was  in- 
spired by  a  high  mission  that  invested  long  familiar 
and  neglected  objects  with  an  interest  of  inconceiv- 
able importance.  The  muddy  ditch,  hitherto  so  un- 
sightly and  so  carefully  avoided,  the  puddle  of  stag- 
nant water,  the  green  scum  that  had  only  suggested 
fever  and  ague,  the  imbedded  lump  of  marl  or  chip 
of  marble,  now  contained  marvelous  wonders  and 
untold  volumes  of  wisdom  which  they  were  soon  to 
possess.  Such  chasing  of  feminine  feet  after  butter- 
flies and  trapping  of  moths  and  millers,  such  rum- 
maging into  Biddy's  scouring-box  and  pantry  for 


28        GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

rotten  stone  and  brown  sugar,  and  such  splashing 
into  muddy  ditches  and  slimy  ponds  were  never  be- 
fore seen  in  Wood  lawn. 

The  farm  laborers  in  the  neighborhood  thought 
that  the  boys  had  broken  out  in  a  general  rebellion 
against  the  authority  of  the  master,  and  were  pre- 
paring themselves  with  munitions  to  carry  on  the 
war,  while  the  perplexed  Biddies  declared  that  the 
"girls  had  gone  crazy  entirely." 

It  was  indeed  wonderful  how  the  juvenile  popu- 
lation of  Woodlawn  had  become  excited  by  the  wise 
manipulation  of  a  skillful  teacher.  Instead  of  di- 
rectly opposing  authority,  or  the  logic  of  moral  rela- 
tions, to  draw  his  young  charge  from  a  hurtful  indul- 
gence, which  would  likely  have  provoked  stubborn 
resolves  of  stealthy  gratification,  he  had  diverted 
their  minds  by  presenting  something  that  would  feed 
the  natural  cravings  for  novelty.  By  superior  at- 
tractions he  was  drawing  them  into  wisdom's  ways. 
The  steps  thus  far  taken  showed  how  large  a  promise 
there  was  of  a  complete  success.  He  is  wiser  who 
prevents  the  doing  of  an  evil  deed  than  he  who  wins 
to  repentance  after  the  offence  has  been  committed. 

The  children  not  only  went  forth  excited,  but  with 
their  senses  quickened.  Especially  was  it  true  of 
their  manner  of  observation.  They  had  "  sharp 
eyes"  that  forenoon,  each  one  resolving  to  find  out, 


GREAT    WONDERS   IN    LITTLE   THINGS.       29 

if  possible,  what  they  were  to  carry  back  in  their 
receptacles  before  they  submitted  their  acquisitions 
to  the  teacher's  inspection.  Not  a  few  of  them  did 
discover  some  wonderfully  curious  things,  which  they 
were  quite  positive  were  just  what  they  were  sent 
after,  and  were  not  a  little  elated  at  the  supposed 
success.  They  found  out  many  curious  objects  by 
such  careful  searching  under  leaves  of  water  lilies 
and  cresses,  old  mossy  stones  and  logs,  and  slimy 
deposits,  of  which  they  resolved  to  make  special  re- 
port when  called  upon  in  the  afternoon.  Astonished 
by  these  unusual  forms  of  life,  they  wondered  how 
they  could  have  remained  so  long  undiscovered  when 
they  were  so  easily  found.  They  were  thus  learn- 
ing the  lesson  that  there  are  many  who,  having 
eyes,  yet  see  not,  because  they  do  not  use  them 
aright.  Looking  is  not  always  seeing.  There  may 
be  thousands  of  beautiful  things  all  around  us, 
yet  we  may  remain  quite  unconscious  of  them,  be- 
cause we  fail  to  exercise  perception  enough  to  recog- 
nize even  their  existence,  much  less  appreciate  their 
attractions.  God  has  made  the  beautiful  things  of 
earth,  and  scattered  his  wondrous  works  all  around 
us,  that  we  may  learn  how 

"  All  matter  quick,  and  bursting  into  birth  ; 
Above,  how  high  progressive  life  may  go  ! 
Around,  how  wide  !  how  deep  extend  below  ! 
3* 


30        GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

Beast,  bird,  fish,  insect,  what  no  eye  can  see, 
No  glass  can  reach,  from  infinite  to  thee, 
From  thee  to  nothing. 

*  *  *  * 

All  spread  their  charms,  but  charm  not  all  alike  : 
On  different  senses  different  objects  strike." 


anberfnl  fUcs. 


31 


CHAPTER    III. 

THE    WONDERFUL    OPTICS. 

THE  hour  for  commencing  the  afternoon  session 
found*  the  several  companies  assembled  with 
their  trophies,  bottled,  boxed,  and  encased,  living 
and  fossilized.  Each  youthful  enthusiast  had  some 
exciting  incident  of  the  expedition  to  relate,  or  won- 
derful object  to  present,  which  he  thought  must  be 
the  very  thing  he  had  been  sent  to  obtain. 

Sidney  Marvin,  who  had  led  the  exploration  to 
Lawrence's  creek,  back  of  the  meeting-house,  had 
captured  several  curious  little  creatures  encased  in 
oddly-constructed  dwellings,  out  of  which  their 
heads  were  protruded  when  not  alarmed.  He  pro- 
duced one  with  some  degree  of  triumph,  saying : 

"Oh,  Mr.  Willard,  I've  got  the  funniest  little 
creature  here  you  ever  saw !  Just  see  him !  He 
lives  in  a  log  house  with  a  little  stone  glued  to  one 
end  of  it.  I  guess  this  is  just  what  you  sent  me  for." 

"Well,  Sidney,"  replied  the  teacher,  "you  have 
brought  us  a  very  curious  addition  to  our  collection, 
C  33 


34        GREAT    WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

and  one  that  I  am  very  glad  to  have,  although  I  did 
not  think  of  him  when  I  sent  you  out. 

"  It  is  a  specimen  of  the  caddice  worm,  which  is 
gradually  transformed  into  the  well-known  case  fly, 
which  you  so  often  meet  with  around  meadow  brooks, 


Caddice  Worm. 

being  in  form  much  like  the  dragon  flyy  or  '  devil's 
darning-needle,'  as  you  boys  are  accustomed  to  call 
it,  though  of  a  much  smaller  size. 

"They  are  amusing  little  fellows,  those  cads. 
Sometimes  their  home  is  a  spherical  case  of  three  or 
four  joints,  as  in  the  specimen  before  us,  but  more 
generally  constructed  by  laying  three  sticks  across 
each  other  in  the  form  of  a  triangle,  and  then  re- 
peating the  process  until  a  sufficient  number  are 
added  to  complete  the  structure.  This  has  a  rough 
exterior,  and  serves  as  a  kind  of  protection  from  its 
enemies,  as  an  abattis  does  to  a  fort.  Within,  how- 
ever, he  is  careful  to  adjust  everything  with  the 
utmost  smoothness,  over  which  he  puts  a  rich  coat 
of  plaster.  These  houses  are  sometimes  constructed 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.      35 

with  nice  regard  to  beauty,  being  formed  of  alternate 
shades  of  color,  put  in  fine  contrast,  from  which 
many  a  one  might  receive  a  profitable  lesson  on  taste. 

"  Another  mark  of  the  intelligence  of  this  little 
creature  is  seen  in  the  manner  of  securing  itself  from 
destruction  by  the  rapid  current  of  the  stream  where 
it  makes  its  house.  Being  constructed  of  very  light 
material,  it  would,  if  not  prevented  by  some  device, 
float  in  the  current,  and  thus  be  dashed  to  pieces,  or 
worn  out  by  constant  friction.  How  is  this  to  be 
prevented,  yet  freedom  of  motion  be  secured  ?  The 
little  cad  selects  a  small  pebb]e,  such  as  it  can  easily 
drag  about  with  slight  efforts,  yet  sufficient  to  anchor 
it  to  the  bottom  when  these  efforts  cease.  A  nice 
matter  of  adjustment,  you  would  say,  requiring 
scales  and  measuring  line ;  but  our  little  friend  hits 
the  happy  medium  without  the  use  of  either.  The 
instincts  which  God  bestows  on  some  of  the  most 
insignificant  of  his  creatures  often  baffle  our  higher 
gift  of  reason,  both  in  the  use  of  means  and  in  the 
achieved  results. 

"I  have  taken  great  interest  in  watching  the 
habits  of  these  little  log-cabin  builders,  having  early 
introduced  them  into  my  aquarium,  where,  above 
all,  their  ways  can  be  observed.  For  some  weeks 
all  seemed  to  make  progress  in  my  little  colony. 
One  day,  however,  I  found  all  the  cases  of  my  pets 


36        GKEAT   WONDERS    IN    LITTLE   THINGS. 

empty  and  desolate,  nor  could  they  be  found.  They 
were  not  in  the  tank,  nor  had  they  passed  into  their 
fly  hood,  for  in  this  case  they  would  be  found  flying 
about  the  room,  from  which  they  had  no  opportunity 
to  escape,  but  they  were  not  there.  It  was  a  mys- 
tery that  I  could  not  solve.  Not  wishing  to  leave 
my  collection  without  them,  I  at  once  procured  some 
more,  and  put  them  into  the  aquarium  just  before  sun- 
set. Alas!  when  morning  came  there  were  my 
empty  cad-houses.  Not  a  living  specimen  re- 
mained, and  worse  than  all,  I  then  noticed  for  the 
first  time  that  all  of  my  faithful  snails  had  also  dis- 
appeared from  their  shells.  Here  was  a  calamity 
that  must  be  looked  after.  A  half  a  day  spent 
around  the  ponds  and  brooks  abundantly  supplied 
the  places  of  my  lost  treasures,  but  you  may  be  sure 
I  was  interested  in  their  subsequent  progress,  and  sat 
down  quietly  to  watch  over  their  safety,  and  if  dan- 
ger assailed  them  to  learn  from  what  source  it  came. 
I  had  not  to  watch  long,  for  hardly  was  the  water 
quiet  from  their  introduction,  and  they  began  to 
push  out  their  heads  to  peep  about  in  their  new 
home,  when  a  small  eel  not  more  than  three  inches 
long,  which  I  had  recently  introduced  into  my  col- 
lection, darted  out  from  his  concealment  and  seized 
one  of  my  poor  caddies  by  the  head.  Then  there 
was  a  struggle :  poor  cad  tried  to  withdraw  into  his 


GREAT   WONDERS    IN    LITTLE   THINGS.      37 

citadel,  and  the  hungry  eel  to  pull  him  out.  At  a 
fair,  square  tug  it  was  an  even  match,  and  after  a 
few  hard  pulls  the  eel  changed  his  mode  of  warfare. 
Throwing  himself  into  a  perpendicular  position,  he 
assumed  a  perfect  state  of  rigidity,  and  began  to 
whirl  round  with  great  velocity,  thus  putting  the 
screw  on  the  doomed  cad,  who  began  to  yield  more 
and  more  to  the  twist  until  so  far  out  that  he  could 
make  no  more  resistance,  when  he  was  devoured,  and 
the  eel  made  for  the  home  of  one  of  my  busy  snails. 
I  had  found  out  the  bold  robber  of  my  treasures,  and 
notwithstanding  his  graceful  movements  through  the 
water,  he  was  devoted  to  his  native  place,  the  mill- 
pond,  to  the  great  relief  of  my  snails  and  caddice 
worms. 

"  But,  Willie  Hunt,"  said  the  teacher  as  he  no- 
ticed this  youth  carefully  nursing  something  in  one 
of  the  bottles,  "  what  have  you  got  that  is  attracting 
so  much  of  your  attention  ?" 

"Why,  Mr.  Willard,  I've  got  one  of  the  funniest 
little  fishes  here.  Its  back  is  all  covered  with  sharp 
spines,  and  it  changes  its  color  so  beautifully.  But 
that's  not  the  most  curious  thing.  I  found  it  in  a 
nest,  just  between  two  stones,  fixed  almost  like  a 
little  sparrow's  nest,  and  there  were  lots  of  little 
ones  there,  too.  I  never  knew  that  fishes  ever  made 
nests  before." 

4 


38        GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

"Well  done,  Willie!  You  have  had  your  eyes 
about  you,  or  you  would  never  have  found  out  so 
much  about  the  little  Stickleback,  which  is  the  name 

of  your  fish.  It  is  very 
common  in  creeks  and 
ponds,  but  being  so 
minute,  very  little  is 
known  of  its  existence 

Stickleback. 

or  habits,  except  as  an 

inmate  of  a  good  aquarium,  where  he  is  ever  admired 
as  one  of  the  most  beautiful  objects. 

"The  only  objection  urged  against  him  is  the  im- 
possibility of  keeping  him  in  a  tank  with  other  fish, 
making  it  necessary  to  provide  him  a  separate  apart- 
ment. Though  so  small,  he  is  a  brave  and  gallant 
little  fellow,  and  will  attack  and  destroy  fish  many 
times  larger  than  himself.  Passing  suddenly  under 
them,  he  drives  his  sharp  spines  into  their  vital  parts 
— a  thrust  from  which  they  try  in  vain  to  escape.  I 
have  had  them  often,  but  from  this  propensity  I 
have  had  to  banish  them  from  my  collection  and  keep 
them  in  a  small  globe  by  themselves. 

"  It  is  a  curious  fact  that  the  stickleback  builds  a 
nest.  Like  the  sparrow  or  wren,  he  gathers  up  his 
bit  of  weed  or  fibre  of  conferva,  and  takes  it  to 
some  cleft  of  a  rock  or  crack  in  an  old  log,  until  the 
nest  is  completed.  Having  done  this,  he  tries  to 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.      39 

allure  his  mate  into  it.  It  is  at  this  time  that  he 
puts  on  his  splendid  coat  of  mail,  which  changes 
anon  to  green,  gold,  purple,  or  silver,  and  often  all 
these  brilliant  hues  combined  in  one  splendid  suit  of 
armor. 

"  To  his  mate  and  progeny  he  is  most  devoted  and 
faithful.  When  the  eggs  are  deposited  in  the  nest 
which  he  has  made,  he  takes  the  exclusive  care  of 
them,  and  continues  so  to  do  until  they  have  ma- 
tured and  are  able  to  look  out  for  themselves. 

"I  have  sometimes  tried  his  bravery  at  this  by 
poking  a  little  stick  near  his  well-guarded  nest, 
when,  with  a  vindictive  spitefulness,  he  would  fly 
at  it  and  bite  with  great  fury. 

"  Well,"  continued  the  teacher,  "  we  have  had 
two  very  interesting  objects,  neither  of  which  did  I 
think  to  have  in  my  collection  this  afternoon,  as 
they  are  not  among  the  wonders  which  will  properly 
constitute  our  exhibition.  Perhaps  there  are  some 
other  parties  who  have  been  equally  as  successful  in 
bringing  back  some  interesting  object.  If  so,  it  will 
afford  me  great  pleasure  to  have  them  produced." 

"Please,  sir,"  responded  George  Snow,  "among 
the  thick  spatter-docks,  where  the  water  was  very 
still  and  warm,  I  found  a  very  curious  creature,  with 
its  head  hanging  down  in  the  water,  with  a  broad, 
feathery-like  tail  spread  out  on  the  surface,  and  I 


40       GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 


have  brought  it,  thinking  perhaps  it  was  what  you 
wanted.  Here  it  is  in  this  jar." 

"I  have  no  doubt,  my 
boy,  you  have  in  that  jar 
what  I  sent  you  after,  but 
I  hardly  think  you  have 
found  that  out  yet ;  never- 
theless, let  us  see  what  you 
have  discovered. 

"  Well,  well,  you  have 
been  fortunate  in  obtain- 
ing a  specimen  not  eas- 
ily found  when  carefully 
sought  after.  Your  rare 
captive  does  not  belong 
to  the  legitimate  objects 
which  will  constitute  our 
menagerie,  nevertheless  it 
will  be  no  loss  of  time  nor 
detraction  from  the  inter- 
ests of  the  exhibition  to 
pause  a  few  moments 

Grub  CTiamdefm  Fly.  while    we    examine    this 

strange      and      beautiful 

creature,  or,  we  might  more  properly  say,  beginning 
of  a  creature,  for  the  object  before  us  is  the  grub  of 
the  graceful  chameleon  fly.  Its  form,  motion,  and 


GREAT    WONDERS    IX    LITTLE   THINGS.      41 

organs  can  be  observed  by  the  natural  eye,  though 
much  better  seen  by  using  something  to  aid  the 
sight — a  process  which  you  will  much  better  under- 
stand when  we  have  completed  our  series  of  exam- 
inations. 

"  I  will  not  now  detain  you  with  any  lengthy  pre- 
sentation of  the  process  by  which  this  interesting 
creature  passes  from  its  larval  to  its  perfect  state, 
but  will  merely  call  your  attention  to  the  splendid 
plume-like  crown  of  feathers  by  means  of  which  it 
floats  when  it  comes  to  the  surface  of  the  water, 
which  it  always  does  tail  foremost.  As  soon  as  it 
reaches  the  top  the  plume  spreads  out  in  a  beautiful 
circular  fan,  somewhat  funnel-shaped  in  the  centre, 
from  which  all  moisture  is  excluded.  This  feathery 
cone  has  a  wonderful  faculty,  like  the  feathers  of 
water-fowls,  to  repel  all  dampness,  and  it  is  through 
this  cone  that  the  insect  breathes  the  fresh  air  neces- 
sary for  its  existence  and  development. " 

Had  Mr.  Willard's  experiment  ended  here,  most 
if  not  all  of  his  gratified  pupils  would  have  felt  fully 
satisfied  that  their  half-day's  excursion  was  far  more 
delightful  than  would  have  been  an  equal  length  of 
time  spent  under  the  great  canvas  tent,  jostling  with 
a  heated  crowd,  and  subject  to  the  offensive  odor  of 
caged  animals.  But  their  enjoyment  had  only  just 
commenced. 

4* 


42        GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

During  their  delightful  morning's  roaming  after 
objects  of  curiosity  Mr.  Willard  had  not  been  idle, 
as  was  apparent  from  the  arrangements  which  the 
school-room  exhibited.  On  a  long  table  in  front  of 
the  teacher's  desk  there  stood  six  beautiful  brass  in- 
struments, in  shape  like  the  following. 


Microscope. 


Beside  these  lay  a  number  of  glass  slides,  some 
of  them  having  small  cup-like  cavities  in  the  centre, 


GREAT    WONDERS   IN  LITTLE   THINGS.      43 

with  two  or  three  pairs  of  forceps  and  some  other 
small  instruments. 

The  various  boxes  and  bottles,  as  they  were  re- 
ceived, were  arranged  on  the  table  near  the  instru- 
ments, until  there  was  a  large  collection  grouped 
around  the  teacher,  indicating  that  there  would  be 
no  lack  of  objects  for  the  afternoon's  exhibition. 
The  teacher  was  gratified  at  the  lively  interest  mani- 
fested by  his  pupils,  and  felt  that  all  the  pleasure 
would  not  be  found  palpita'ting  through  their  buoy- 
ant hearts.  He  was  happy  in  striving  to  make 
others  so,  and  felt  as  never  before  the  importance  of 
the  teacher's  office.  He  was  not  simply  to  impart  to 
them  what  he  knew — that  was  comparatively  an 
easy  task — but  also  to  divert  their  minds  from  that 
which  would  be  injurious. 

When  all  the  scholars  had  made  their  reports,  and 
he  had  finished  noticing  the  special  objects  to  which 
some  of  them  called  his  attention,  he  said  : 

"  Children,  I  am  exceedingly  gratified  at  the  man- 
ner in  which  you  have  entered  into  and  carried  out 
my  suggestions  for  spending  the  remainder  of  this 
day,  not  only  because  it  shows  such  a  willingness  to 
gratify  me,  but  as  it  will,  no  doubt,  furnish  me  with 
ample  means  for  giving  you  pleasure  and  instruction." 

Calling  their  attention  to  the  instruments  on  the 
table,  he  proceeded  to  explain  their  uses. 


44        GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 


"I  shall  not  attempt/'  said  he,  "to  give  you  a 
detailed  description  of  these  in- 
struments, called  Microscopes,  as 
it  would  consume  more  time 
than  we  have  to  spare  to  make 
a  you  understand  fully  their  con- 
struction and  uses.  Besides, 
when  you  begin  the  study  of 
Natural  Philosophy,  in  the  de- 
partment of  Optics,  you  will 
have  a  full  explanation  of  their 
wonderful  powers.  Suffice  it  now 
to  say  that  the  microscope  is 
constructed  with  glass  lenses  of 
different  focal  powers,  so  com- 
bined as  to  make  an  object  ap- 
pear many  times  larger  than  it 
really  is.  This  diagram  which 
I  have  drawn  will  give  you  a 
general  idea  of  its  construction. 
"This  is  called  a  compound 
microscope.  At  the  small  end 
o,  the  object  is  placed,  which  is 
there  magnified  by  one  or  more 
L'ntesof  Microscope.  small  lenses,  and  reflected  on 
the  large  lens  at//  which  converges  the  ray  of  light 
in  such  a  manner  that  a  picture  of  the  object  is  seen 


GREAT    WONDERS    IN    LITTLE   THINGS.      45 

at  b  b,  called  the  diaphragm,  placed  there  to  prevent 
the  image  from  being  seen  at  a  a.  This  image  is 
further  magnified  by  the  eye-piece  at  e  e,  as  if  it  were 
an  original  object. 

"  Let  us  now  illustrate  the  effect  of  this  careful 
combination : 

"  Alfred  Green  is  five  feet  high.  Imagine  this 
number  multiplied  by  four  hundred,  and  we  should 
have  a  giant  stretched  out  to  the  altitude  of  two 

thousand  feet,  rather  taller  than  the  one  advertised 

* 

to  appear  at  the  circus  this  afternoon.  The  top  of 
the  cupola  on  our  school-house  is  fifty  feet  from  the 
ground,  and  you  think  it  rather  a  tall  steeple.  Now, 
if  you  could  put  Alfred  under  this  instrument,  he 
would  appear  nineteen  hundred  and  fifty  feet  taller 
than  our  cupola.  He  would  have  to  make  a  pro- 
found bow  to  enable  him  to  pick  the  ball  from  the 
tallest  steeple  in  the  world,  and  Bunker  Hill  monu- 
ment would  only  serve  for  a  stool  for  him  to  sit  on. 

"  But  as  we  cannot  put  him  under  the  glass  and 
convert  him  into  such  a  '  tall  fellow/  let  us  take 
other  objects  upon  which  we  can  produce  just  such 
marvelous  changes. 

11  In  these  vials  and  boxes,  which  you  have  filled 
from  various  sources,  and  where  you  can  see  only 
seemingly  pure  water,  or  a  fine  powder  or  grains  of 
sand,  there  are  doubtless  millions  on  millions  of  ani- 


46        GREAT    WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

malcules  and  beautiful  shells,  which  the  unaided 
vision  cannot  detect,  but  placed  under  these  instru-. 
ments,  they  are  magnified  hundreds  of  times,  so  that 
we  can  see  their  forms  and  color,  observe  their  mo- 
tions and  habits,  and  even  distinguish  many  of  their 
organs,  tracing  out  their  processes  of  digestion  and 
wonderful  manner  of  reproduction. 

"  By  this  wonderful  glass  we  are  made  acquainted 
with  a  world  so  teeming  with  strange  forms  of  life  as 
to  put  Calculation  totally  at  defiance.  We  see  them 
assuming  such  marvelous  forms,  sparkling  in  the 
most  brilliant  hues,  multiplying  with  such  incredible 
rapidity,  and  leaving  such  astounding  results  as  to 
stagger  and  bewilder  the  senses.  What  does  not 
appear  to  exist  at  all  is  found  to  exist  everywhere, 
and  that  which  seemingly  is  not  is  revealed  as  the 
foundation  of  nearly  all  the  magnificent  structures 
in  physical  nature. 

"  What  a  lesson  does  this  teach  us !  The  same 
relation  which  these  minute  forms  of  existence  hold 
to  the  sublime  whole  which  they  serve  to  make  up 
do  these  little  acts  and  influences  in  our  manners 
and  life  sustain  to  the  character  by  which  we  are 
estimated  among  our  fellow-men. 

'  For  character  groweth 
Day  by  day,  and  all  things  aid  in  its  unfolding/ 

"  We  must  guard  against  the   little   foxes  that 


GREAT    WONDERS   IN    LITTLE   THINGS.      47 

spoil  the  vines.  We  cannot,  therefore,  be  too  careful 
in  searching  out  and  correcting  these  little  habits 
before  they  have  become  so  multiplied  and  fixed  as 
to  give  shape  and  tone  to  our  manhood.  White  lies 
and  little  sins  will  aggregate  into  perjury  and  fraud, 
and  are  sure  by-paths  to  the  *  broad  road  that  lead- 
eth  to  destruction/ 

"  It  is,  indeed,  an  interesting  sight  to  stand  before 
a  strong  cage  and  mark  the  lithe  and  stately  form 
of  an  African  lion,  or  watch  the  huge  elephant  so 
deftly  using  his  flexible  proboscis,  but  I  think  you 
will  experience  greater  astonishment  when  you  come 
to  inspect  the  contents  of  these  bottles,  where  in  one 
drop  of  water  which  you  have  taken  from  the  fa- 
miliar ditch  you  will  behold  untold  millions  of  the 
strangest  creatures,  sporting,  feeding,  dying,  and  by 
this  process  laying  the  foundation  of  mountains  and 
building  up  the  everlasting  hills. 

"With  this  statement  of  the  manner  of  our  ex- 
hibition, I  will  now  proceed  to  give  a  practical  illus- 
tration of  the  wonderful  powers  of  our  optics/' 


in0trairs,   fJsramtthrm,   tit. 

5  D  49 


PLATE    I. 


MONADS,  PARAMECIUM,  ETC. 

FIGURES  ^ 

1-15.  Monads. 

16-18.  Paramecium. 

19.  Nassula  elegans. 

20.  Acineta  tuberosa. 

21.  Chilodon  cucullulus. 

22.  Leucophrys  striata. 

23.  Kerona  postulata. 
24,  25.  Kerona  mytilus. 

26.  Hiniantophorus  charon. 

27.  Arcella. 

28.  Trachelomonas. 

29.  Cyphidium  distortum. 
30,31.  Ohlamidodon. 

32.  Actinophrys  viridis. 

33.  Actinophrys  sol. 

34.  Podophrya  fixa. 

35.  Glaucoma. 

36.  Euplotes. 

37,  38.  Bursaria  vernalis. 

39.  Loxodes  dentatus. 

40.  Chsetonotus  larus. 
50 


f'/ff/t- 1. 


.  Ihm/wrium  £c. 


CHAPTER    IV. 

MONADS,  PARAMECIUM,  ETC. 

"TN  exhibiting  to  you,"  Mr.  Willard  said,  "the 
J-  wonders  existing  in  a  single  drop  of  water,  I 
shall  aVoid  as  far  as  possible  the  use  of  the  names 
adopted  by  the  learned,  as  they  are  often  very  hard 
to  pronounce,  nor  would  you  understand  their  sig- 
nificance. Some  of  you,  it  is  hoped,  will  become  so 
much  interested  in  this  branch  of  natural  science 
that  you  will  by  and  by  acquire  all  these  terms,  and 
understand  the  reasons  why  they  are  applied  to  the 
objects  which  they  designate. 

"I  will  now  arrange  these  instruments  on  the 
table,  and  place  under  them  some  of  the  objects 
which  have  been  collected  during  your  forenoon's 
ramble,  and  then  each  one  will  have  an  opportunity 
to  observe  the  strange  creatures  which  you  have  cap- 
tured. 

"I  have  not  examined  any  of  the  collections  you 
have  made,  and  therefore  know  not  how  successful 
you  have  been,  but  judging  from  past  experience, 
I  feel  very  certain  that  we  shall  have  variety  enough 

51 


52        GREAT   WONDERS   IN    LITTLE   THINGS. 

to  engage  us  this  afternoon,  and  several  others  also. 
Permit  me  here  to  say  that  I  propose  to  devote  one 
hour  after  the  regular  sessions  each  afternoon  until 
we  have  gone  through  with  the  principal  objects  of 
interest  revealed  by  our  instruments;  so  we  shall 
have  our  exhibition  open  long  after  the  lions  and 
tigers  have  left  the  town.  The  only  charge  of  ad- 
mission to  our  show  will  be  good  conduct  and  care- 
ful attention  to  study,  and  I  wish  it  to  be  distinctly 
understood  that  I  shall  wholly  exclude  all  those  who 
are  found  deficient  in  these  respects — a  painful  neces- 
sity which  I  fondly  hope  will  not  occur  in  a  single 
instance  during  the  interesting  investigation  which 
we  are  about  to  make. 

"But  now  to  our  work.  First  let  us  see  what 
Alfred  Green  has  found  in  Deacon  Norton's  meadow. 
You  see  that  the  bottle  appears  to  be  filled  with 
almost  pure  water,  a  slightly  yellowish  tint  being 
just  perceptible.  One  drop  of  this  will  be  placed 
in  the  cavity  of  these  little  glass  slides  and  adjusted 
under  the  instruments.  Placed  thus,  you  perceive 
that  the  water  appears  perfectly  clear,  shining  like  a 
dewdrop ;  not  very  promising,  you  may  say,  for  my 
exhibition.  But  let  us  see  whether  it  is  so  or  not. 

"  Ah,  boys,  this  is  better  than  I  expected !  One 
of  these  drops  contains  inhabitants  enough  to  out- 
number by  many  thousands  the  large  animals  in  all 


GREAT    WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.      53 

the  menageries  the  world  contains.  They  are  teem- 
ing with  active  life  in  many  curious  forms,  the  prin- 
cipal one  being,  as  was  expected,  the  various  species 
of  the  monad.  (Plate  L,  Figs.  1-15.) 

"It  is  impossible  to  tell  exactly  how  many  of 
these  little  atoms  there  are  in  these  drops  of  water, 
but  that  there  are  thousands  upon  thousands  you  can 
plainly  see,  yet  there  is  sufficient  space  for  the  dis- 
play of  their  constant  activity.  Small  as  they  are, 
it  is  evident  that  there  must  be  still  smaller  forms 
of  life  upon  which  they  are  preying ;  and  it  is  most 
probable  that  the  animals  thus  destroyed  live  by 
subsisting  upon  others  yet  farther  removed  in  the 
diminishing  scale,  until  we  are  confounded  and  lost 
in  trying  to  follow  out  the  connection  to  its  last  re- 
duction— the  most  minute  order  of  existence. 

"  Those  who  have  given  the  most  time  and  careful 
investigation  to  this  department  of  natural  science 
tell  us  that  a  single  drop  of  water  will  often  contain 
more  millions  of  these  little  creatures  than  there 
are  inhabitants  on  the  globe,  yet  leaving  them  space 
for  all  the  active  purposes  of  their  existence. 

"  It  is  almost  impossible  to  conceive  of  animated 
creatures  the  twenty-four  thousandth  part  of  an  inch 
in  length  possessing  organs  of  motion,  digestion, 
reproduction,  and  defence,  yet  such  is  the  truth  ;  and 
even  more  astounding,  the  scale  of  diminution  has 
5* 


54        GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE  THINGS. 

been  measured  downward  to  more  than  double  this 
number,  or  the  fifty-thousandth  of  an  inch,  without 
reaching  the  end — the  smallest  measure  of  a  living 
being. 

"  That  we  may  have  some  conception  of  this  mar- 
vel of  creation,  it  has  been  estimated  that  a  million 
of  these  creatures  could  find  room  for  existence  and 
display  on  a  spot  not  larger  than  the  period  at  the 
end  of  an  ordinary  sentence.  The  mind  becomes  be- 
wildered under  the  conception  of  such  a  display  of 
divine  wisdom  and  power..  It  is  awed  into  more 
reverence  than  when  surveying  the  gigantic  propor- 
tions of  the  elephant,  or  the  majestic  appearance  of 
the  lion.  These  we  can  weigh  and  measure,  and 
easily  comprehend  the  sum  of  their  proportions  ;  we 
can  dissect  their  organs,  form  models  of  the  exact 
magnitude  of  their  bodies,  and  learn  all  the  mechan- 
ism of  their  frames  ;  but  we  cannot  pick  out,  by  in- 
dividual selection,  one  of  the  thousands  of  atoms  in 
these  drops  of  water,  much  less  analyze  its  parts  with 
any  degree  of  certainty.  By  resort  to  these  wonder- 
ful instruments  we  become  aware  of  their  existence, 
and  from  a  magnified  image  trace  out  something  of 
their  endowments.  We  are  thus  assured  that  God 
has  created  and  given  them  a  life  as  real  as  our  own  ; 
that  he  has  shaped  their  members  with  the  same  per- 
fection of  adaptation  and  workmanship,  and  given 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.      55 

them  a  destiny  to  accomplish  in  their  brief  life  which 
they  are  prompt  and  faithful  in  fulfilling. 

1  That  change  through  all,  and  yet  in  all  the  same, 
Perfect  in  a  hair  as  in  the  ethereal  frame.' 

"It  is  not  simply  to  excite  and  astonish  you  by 
these  wonders  of  creation  that  I  open  this  minute 
world  to  your  inspection,  but  to  direct,  if  I  can,  your 
young  hearts  to  the  benignant  Creator  of  all  these 
things,  who  is  just  as  minutely  careful  in  ( searching 
our  hearts  and  trying  our  ways '  as  he  is  in  fashion- 
ing these  mysterious  forms  of  life.  He  who  puts 
these  things  beyond  the  range  of  our  natural  vision, 
while  yet  scattering  them  all  around  us,  will  just  as 
surely  '  bring  every  secret  thought  into  the  light  of 
his  countenance.'  However  we  may  succeed  in 
hiding  our  motives  from  the  inspection  of  our  fellow- 
men,  or  even  concealing  the  remote  springs  from 
ourselves,  God  will  faithfully  scan  them  all,  and 
weigh  them  in  the  balance  of  immutable  justice. 
'  All  things  are  naked  and  opened  unto  the  eyes  of 
him  with  whom  we  have  to  do  I'  In  view  of  this 
solemn  truth,  let  us  all  devoutly  offer  the  earnest 
supplication  of  David:  'Search  me,  O  God,  and 
know  my  heart ;  try  me,  and  know  my  thoughts,  and 
see  if  there  be  any  wicked  way  in  me,  and  lead  me 
in- the  way  everlasting  !' 


56        GREAT   WONDERS    IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

"Monads  are  included  in  the  general  term  Infu- 
soria, so  designated  because  the}7  were  first  noticed 
in  water  where  vegetable  matter  was  decomposing, 
which  led  to  the  conclusion  that  this  condition  was 
necessary  for  their  production — a  deduction  now 
known  to  be  a  mistake,  as  they  are  found  abundantly 
in  streams  and  ponds  of  clear  water.  An  infusion 
of  leaves  or  straw  will,  however,  always  produce 
them  in  greatest  numbers ;  and  it  is  not  a  little  re- 
markable that,  though  we  catch  the  pure  rain  water 
as  it  comes  from  the  clouds,  and  take  the  fresh 
leaves  before  they  have  touched  the  ground,  putting 
them  into  a  clean  jar,  from  which  everything  is  kept 
out  by  being  carefully  covered,  yet  here  these  little 
creatures  will  swarm  after  a  few  days'  exposure  to 
light  and  heat. 

"Monads  are  of  various  shapes  and  colors,  as  you 
notice,  but  mostly  of  an  oval  form,  with  one  or  more 
hairy  filaments,  by  which  they  move  through  the  water 
with  great  rapidity  when  so  inclined.  Their  colors 
are  red,  brown,  green,  and  various  shades  of  yellow, 
this  last  being  the  most  prevalent.  Each  species 
has  some  distinct  characteristic  by  which  it  is  desig- 
nated, but  it  must  serve  our  purpose  at  this  time  to 
give  only  a  general  view  of  the  class,  with  a  very 
few  exceptions. 

"The  Social  monads  (Plate  I.,  Fig.  1)  are  found  in 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.      57 

great  profusion.  As  they  appear  under  our  glasses, 
they  are  little  yellowish  oblong  atoms,  with  a  slight 
projection  as  their  motive  organ.  When  undisturbed, 
they  manifest  a  disposition  to  gather  in  clusters 
around  some  bit  of  algae,  or  if  that  is  not  present, 
they  form  a  circle  around  the  shallow  edges  of  the 
drops,  appearing  sometimes  like  a  golden  ring. 
They  are  greedy  feeders,  and  evidently  carnivorous, 
as  you  are  sure  to  see  them  cluster  thickly  around 
the  remains  of 

any  dead  animal-  ^  .  V  *  ^  °'a 

cule,  as  is  strik-  ^'*^S5fr^Sj£i^fi»*4£j 

ingly   illustrated      •.«£••  tx*  °~*   ' 
in  the  drops  un-      *'*A*C>£^*« 

•f»'>3>/.£ 

der  the  glass  I  am  °6-^  f 

now      adjusting.  « 

Some    poor    an-  Monads 

nelid  has  gone  the  way  of  all  the  living,  and  our  little 

monads  are  making  a  rich  banquet  on  his  remains. 

"Next  to  these,  perhaps,  in  numbers,  is  the  Monas 
lens.  (Plate  I.,  Fig.  10.)  They  have  generally  but 
one  filament,  and  are  nearly  globular.  They  mani- 
fest less  disposition  for  activity  than  our  carnivorous 
little  friends,  but  seem  quite  as  social  in  their  habits, 
often  appearing  in  clusters  so  woven  together  as  to 
seem  one  body. 

"  There  is  another  form  of  this  little  creature  which 


58        GREAT   WONDERS    IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

we  must  not  fail  to  particularly  notice, the  Anthophysa 
or  tree  monad.  (Plate  I.,  Fig.  15.)  In  our  specimen 
it  consists  of  three  branches,  on  the  top  of  each  being 
a  full  cluster  of  little  pinkish  animals.  These  after 
a  time,  like  ripened  fruit,  leave  their  native  stem, 
and  go  shooting  through  the  water  to  root  and 
branch,  bear  fruit  and  die.  Animals  growing  on 
trees  is  a  wonder  greater  than  any  they  have  to 
exhibit  in  the  big  tent  on  the  common. 

"  Some  others  of  the  monads  are  deserving  of  a 
particular  description,  but  time  will  not  admit,  and 
we  must  pass  to  notice  some  of  their  habits. 

"  Monads  multiply  by  the  strange  process  of  sub- 
division, that  is,  one  animal  breaks  up  into  many — 
another  fact  peculiar  to  our  exhibition  by  which  we 
outstrip  our  rivals.  Animals  break  to  pieces,  yet 
live?  you  say.  Yes,  even  so,  as  we  shall  find  in 
many  instances  before  we  get  through  with  our  in- 
vestigations. They  divide  and  subdivide,  while 
some  also  bud  and  branch. 

"  The  race  of  monads  also  multiply  in  the  more 
usual  way  of  eggs.  By  these  two  processes  each 
individual  becomes  the  progenitor  of  millions  every 
twenty-four  hours.  What  an  incredible  number, 
then,  must  swarm  in  every  pond  and  puddle  of  rain- 
water !  We  may  well  cease  to  wonder  that  such  a 
process,  going  on  for  thousands  of  years,  will,  from 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.      59 

invisible  atoms,  build  up  mountains  and  heave  up 
continents. 

"From  the  disposition  of  monads  to  cluster  to- 
gether around  some  collection  of  algse,  their  variety 
of  colors  produces  no  small  resemblance  to  a  bouquet 
of  flowers,  whose  leaves  seem  to  scatter  and  fall  as 
some  disturbing  cause  sends  the  mass  of  life  career- 
ing again  through  their  watery  home. 

"Next  to  the  monads  for  numbers  and  activity, 
you  will  notice  a  multitude  of  silvery-white  and 
yellowish  creatures  darting  through  the  water.  They 
are  much  larger  in  size  and  curiously  surrounded  by 
hairy  fringes,  which  are  constantly  in  motion.  These 
are Paramedums.  (Plate  I.,  Figs.  16-18.)  They  are 
generally  of  the  shapes  here  represented,  but  often 
make  their  appearance  in  other  and  quite  variable 
forms.  I  have  taken  a  drop  of  water  from  a  drain 
near  my  dwelling,  in  which  there  is  a  deposit  of  de- 
caying leaves,  where  these  little  creatures  were  so 
numerous  as  to  defy  all  calculation,  and  although 
the  unaided  eye  could  detect  no  individual  of  the 
species,  they  gave  the  whole  drop  a  milky  appear- 
ance, and,  when  dried  up,  leaving  a  whitish  sedi- 
ment at  the  bottom  of  the  glass.  When  placed 
under  the  instrument,  they  were  seen  swarming  in 
the  drop,  and  darting  here  and  there  with  ample 
room  for  the  display  of  their  impetuous  activity. 


60        GREAT  WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

The  effect  was  quite  dazzling,  having  much  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  rapid  revolutions  of  a  wagon-wheel. 

"  You  will  notice  that  their  motions  are  very 
eccentric,  the  general  movement  being  spiral  and 
wavy,  but  all  at  once  you  will  notice  some  exuber- 
ant little  fellow  suddenly  stop  in  his  flying  speed, 
and  begin  to  revolve  exactly  in  the  same  manner  as 
do  the  pin-wheels  you  are  so  fond  of  burning  on  the 
Fourth  of  July.  After  enjoying  his  whirl  for  a  time 
he  will  as  suddenly  resume  his  onward  flight. 

"  He  is  a  hardy  denizen  of  our  little  world  of 
water,  standing  the  widest  extremes  of  temperature. 
I  have  often  found  them  abundant  when  all  other 
forms  of  life  were  rendered  dormant  or  destroyed  by 
the  cold.  Nor  is  he  at  all  fastidious ;  he  is  found 
living  in  water  that  has  become  very  offensive  from 
putridity,  and  from  which  all  other  animals  have 
disappeared. 

"  The  little  starry  ornaments  on  the  back  are  very 
beautiful,  generally  having  a  bluish  tint  that  brings 
them  out  very  distinctly,  Occasionally  they  are 
seen  double,  which  is  only  the  act  of  self-division, 
by  which  they  multiply  like  the  monads. 

"  Some  varieties  of  this  family  are  very  beautiful, 
as  the  Nasmlw  elegans  (Plate  I.,  Fig.  19),  marked 
with  bright  green  and  red  spots  and  elegantly- 
fringed  border.  Nestled  among  the  green  conferva, 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.      61 

its  usual  place  of  hiding,  it  occasionally  darts  sud- 
denly out,  whirls  spasmodically  round,  and  then  re- 
treats again  to  its  cover. 

"  The  Chilodon  (Plate  I.,  Fig.  21)  is  a  fitting  com- 
panion to  the  last  named.  It  has  not  its  brilliant 
colors,  but  surpasses  it  in  grace  of  form,  with  the 
addition  of  a  bar  of  golden  yellow  obliquely  drawn 
across  its  body. 

"The  Adneta  tuberosa  (Plate  I.,  Fig.  20)  belongs 
to  another  family,  but  is  one  of  the  most  graceful 
objects  presented  to  the  eye  whenever  it  comes  un- 
der the  glass,  which,  unfortunately,  is  not  often — a 
beautiful,  tufted,  golden-hearted,  triangular  creature. 

"  But  we  have  too  many  wonders  under  our  glass 
to  particularize  them  all,  nor  is  it  necessary,  as  you 
will  recognize  the  others  when  you  see  them  here- 
after, if  you  are  only  careful  in  observing.  Two 
or  three,  however,  must  not  be  passed  by  thus 
lightly. 

"  The  '  Boat  animalcule*  (Euplotes,  Plate  I.,  Figs. 
26,  30,  31  and  36)  is  quite  common  in  some  of  its 
many  forms,  and  is  always  distinguished  by  its  pecu- 
liar manner  of  walking  or  swimming  with  its  hairy 
appendages.  When  walking,  it  does  so  with  a  jerky 
motion,  with  sudden  reversals  of  position ;  at  other 
times  it  stands  with  its  antennae  constantly  in  a  state 
of  vibration,  as  though  warding  off  all  that  may  ap- 


62        GREAT    WONDERS    IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

proach  to  rob  it  of  its  captured  monads  or  other  vic- 
tims to  its  rapacity. 

"  That  little  collection  of  red  and  green  objects  is 
made  up  of  different  forms  of  the  Trachelomonas 
(Plate  L,  Fig.  28),  a  distant  connection  of  the  monad 
family.  They  are  found  quite  plentifully  in  all  bog 
meadows,  where  they  sometimes  give  a  reddish  tinge 
to  the  shallow  water. 

"  In  these  specimens  we  have  also  the  Sun  animal- 
cule,  which  you  will  at  once  recognize,  and  two  forms 
of  the  Bursaria,  those  egg-shaped,  green  objects  at 
the  bottom  of  the  collection. 

"  You  wonder  that  so  many  new  and  strange  things 
can  exist  in  a  single  drop  of  water,  and  it  is  aston- 
ishing, but  we  are  just  on  the  borders  of  this  en- 
chanted world,  with  its  rarest  inhabitants  yet  un- 
seen, and  that  we  may  not  be  delayed  too  long  from 
forming  their  acquaintance,  we  must  remove  the 
contents  of  our  slides,  although  by  so  doing  we  shall 
destroy  more  lives  than  was  done  during  all  the 
slaughter  of  the  recent  war.  The  facts  with  which 
you  have  just  been  made  acquainted  will  prepare 
you  to  understand  the  grim  witticism  of  a  returned 
veteran,  who  was  somewhat  acquainted  with  the  uses 
and  revelations  of  the  microscope.  His  station  was 
for  some  time  in  the  swamps  of  the  South,  and  he 
said  that  '  he  had  destroyed  more  lives  by  a  single 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.      63 

swallow  of  water  than  war  had  taken  in  a  century.' 
His  statement  was  no  doubt  true. 

"While  I  shall  change  the  objects  under  our 
glasses,  you  can  take  a  breathing-spell  and  have  an 
interchange  of  thoughts." 


tatifiers* 

E  65 


PLATE    II. 


ROTIFERS. 

FIGURES 

1.  Rotifer  Vulgaris. 

2.  Philodina  erythrophthalma. 

3.  Actinaurus  Nepturinus. 

4.  Brachionus  amphiceros. 

5.  Callidina  elegans. 

6.  Sal  pin  a  mucroiiata. 

7.  Pterodina  patina. 

8.  Lepadella  Ovalis. 

9.  Rattulus  lunaris. 

10.  Eosphora  digitata. 

11.  Diglena  lacustris. 
12,15.  Anursea. 

13.  Notens  quadricornus. 

14.  Limnias  ceratophylli. 

16.  Hydrias  cornigera. 

17.  Vagi  ni  cola  cry  stall  ina. 

18.  Melicerta  ringens. 

19.  Lepadella  emarginata. 

20.  Microcodon  clavus. 

21.  ^Ecistes  longicornis. 

22.  Limn  is,  or  Snakehead. 
66 


CHAPTER    V. 

ROTIFERS. 

AFTER  a  brief  intermission,  during  which  Mr. 
Willard  had  readjusted  his  instruments  and 
the  children  interchanged  their  pent-up  thoughts, 
the  little  bell  brought  them  once  more  to  order,  when 
the  teacher  resumed  his  exhibition  : 

"  We  will  now  see  what  remarkable  things  Willie 
Hunt  has  brought  back  from  Squire  Walton's  pas- 
ture. Among  them  we  shall  be  likely  to  find  many 
of  the  same  little  creatures  we  have  already  been 
examining  with  so  much  interest,  but  I  also  expect 
to  meet  with  one  particular  class  which  we  have  not 
yet  observed — an  animal  of  a  higher  organization 
than  any  we  have  yet  examined.  It  belongs  to  a 
family  having  many  branches,  each  one  exhibiting 
some  remarkable  peculiarity,  making  it  one  of  the 
most  interesting  studies  to  the  microscopist.  The 
individual  which  gives  it  the  class  name  of  Rotifer 
is  called  the  Wheel  animalcule.  (Plate  II.,  Fig.  1.) 
It  takes  its  name  from  having  the  appearance  of  two 
wheels  rotating  at  its  head,  called  cilia,  derived  from 

67 


68        GREAT    WONDERS   IN    LITTLE   THINGS. 

a  Latin  word  which  means  eyelash.  It  is  a  strange 
appendage,  possessed  by  most  animalcules  in  some 
form,  which  we  have  already  noticed  in  many  of  the 
animals  examined,  and  of  which  I  have  not  taken 
particular  notice,  preferring  to  leave  it  until  we  had 
under  consideration  the  individual  of  which  it  is  the 
peculiar  characteristic.  When  you  carefully  observe 
this  beautiful  adjustment  in  the  Wheel  animalcule, 
you  will  see  the  appropriateness  of  the  name  and 
admire  the  perfection  and  grace  of  its  motions. 

"  But  while  we  are  talking  our  little  friend,  I 
trust,  is  waiting  for  our  recognition  and  admiration. 
"Beautiful,  beautiful  !  here  they  are  in  great 
numbers  and  perfection.  Some  are 
drawn  up  almost  into  a  ball,  standing 
nearly  or  quite  perpendicular,  and 
looking  not  a  little  like  an  Esquimaux 
wrapped  in  his  fur  jacket.  On  one 
side  is  seen  the  form  of  a  young  rotifer, 
with  his  crooked  neck  and  two  little 
eye  spots,  and  on  the  other  the  egg, 
not  so  far  advanced. 

W. A.drawnup.  .      ,  ,  . 

"Here  is  another,  stretched  to   his 
utmost  length,  probing  about  in  all  directions,  as.  if 


GREAT    WONDERS   IN    LITTLE   THINGS.      69 

searching  for  prey.  There  is  no  appearance  now  of 
the  beautiful  wheels,  but  in  place  of  them  there  is 
thrust  out  a  small  head  with  a  dart-like  projection. 
Notice,  also,  that  there  is  a  flexible  horn,  or  feeler, 
just  back  of  the  jaws,  but  placed  on  the  side  of  the 
head  instead  of  exactly  on  the  top.  While  thus 
stretched  out  it  adheres  to  the  bottom  of  the  glass  or 
some  frond  of  algse  with  its  fringed  suction  tail. 
But  see,  suddenly  the  head  is  drawn  in,  and  there 
are  pushed  out  far  in  its  advance  those  wonderful 


Rotifer  with  wheels  in  motion. 

wheels.  What  a  change !  Can  this  be  our  little 
Esquimaux  ball,  or  slender,  leech-like  worm  ?  Even 
so.  Nothing  like  this  among  all  the  rare  things  in 
the  show  on  the  common  ! 

"  Though  the  wheels  of  the  animal  are  in  motion, 
you  see  it  does  not  move  from  its  position,  because  it 
still  holds  on  by  the  process  already  described.  The 
effect  is  precisely  like  that  of  a  steamboat  tied  to  the 
dock  with  its  wheels  in  motion,  as  is  often  seen  in 
the  ferry  slips  in  winter  in  order  to  clear  them  from 


70        GREAT    WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

ice.  Our  little  friend,  however,  has  quite  a  different 
object :  he  is  not  clearing  out,  but  drawing  in,  for 
you  can  notice  the  streams  of  monads  and  other 
minute  things  which  enter  within  the  vortex  made 
by  the  revolution  of  the  wheels. 

"  It  is  not  likely  that  he  will  remain  long  in  this 
position.  Watch  him,  and  you  will  notice  that  after 
a  brief  period  he  suddenly  jerks  backward,  at  the 
same  time  retracting  his  wheels,  and  the  prey  he  has 
captured  passes  downward  to  the  jaws,  where  it  is 
ground  up  for  the  purpose  of  digestion. 

"There  he  goes,  his  ' propellers'  grandly  in  mo- 
tion !  Notice  particularly  the  cilia ;  it  does  not  seem 
a  mere  vibration,  but  a  rapid  circular  movement, 
like  a  wheel  on  its  axis,  reversible  at  the  will  of  the 
animal.  It  would  seem  impossible  that  this  should 
be  the  case,  as  it  would  indicate  that  the  wheel  is 
entirely  detached  from  the  animal.  Some  have  sup- 
posed that  the  movement  is  produced  by  a  spiral 
adjustment  similar  to  that  of  the  Forticella — which 
we  shall  have  under  notice  before  we  are  done — only 
more  extensive.  By  others  it  is  believed  to  be  elec- 
trical, or  that  the  effect  is  the  same  as  that  produced 
by  the  wind  passing  over  a  field  of  grain,  wave  fol- 
lowing wave  so  continuously  that  we  are  unable  to 
mark  the  place  of  succession.  With  a  very  high 
magnifying  power,  we  perhaps  get  at  something  near 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.       71 

a  correct  solution  of  this  beautiful  motion.  The  base 
of  the  cilia,  a,  remains  stationary,  while  the  point 
forms  a  circle,  b.  Take  a  stick  and  light  one  end 
of  it,  and  then  whirl  it  around,  and  you  will  have  a 
complete  circle  of 
light,  while  there 
will  be  no  revolu- 
tion of  the  hand, 
which  is  the  pivot 
of  the  motion.  This 
is  probably  the  cor- 
rect solution.  But 
be  this  as  it  may, 
the  beautiful  adap- 
tation and  graceful 

Cilia  of  Rotifers  in  motion. 

motion  of  this  living 

1  nature's  propeller'  may  well  excite  our  wonder  and 

admiration. 

"  Unlike  its  huge  ocean  compeer,  the  rotifer  carries 
his  wheels  in  the  bow  instead  of  the  stern.  With 
the  broad  funnel-shaped  front  which  is  thus  pre- 
sented, it  would  seem  that  the  movement  would  be 
backward  instead  of  forward,  yet  the  rapidity  and 
ease  of  the  creature's  advance  show  a  most  perfect 
adjustment  and  adaptation  of  motive  power.  That 
engineer  will  outstrip  Fulton  and  Ericsson  who  can 
find  out  the  secret  and  apply  it  to  practical  purposes. 


72        GREAT   WONDERS   IN    LITTLE  THINGS. 

If  the  wheels  are  detached  from  the  animal,  how  is 
the  motive  power  applied  ?  and  if  cilia  with  a  fixed 
base,  how  can  their  circular  motion  produce  an  ad- 
vance ?  A  stick  whirling  around  in  the  hand  finds 
no  resistance  that  would  draw  the  hand  forward.  We 
have  the  living  model  before  us,  but  where  is  the 
skillful  observer  who  will  search  out  the  secret  and 
apply  it  to  the  purposes  of  human  industry  ? 

"  You  notice  that  there  are  two  wheels,  revolving 
generally  outwardly,  producing  two  rapid  currents 
setting  toward  the  mouth,  into  which  they  carry  the 
food,  while  the  little  creature  is  propelled  onward  in 
his  voyage — quite  an  advantage  when  he  is  in  a 
hurry,  as  he  does  not  have  to  '  stop  twenty  minutes 
for  dinner.' 

"It  is  worthy  of  notice  that  the  sperm  whale  se- 
cures his  food  much  in  the  same  way.  It  lives  on 
a  peculiar  animalcule,  so  numerous  as  to  discolor 
hundreds  of  miles  of  the  ocean's  surface,  which  it 
collects  by  the  hairy  appendages  filling  the  roof  of 
the  mouth.  It  rushes  through  the  water  with  open 
jaws,  until  this  hairy  sieve  is  coated  with  billions  on 
billions  of  its  dainty  prey,  which  are  then  swallowed 
and  the  process  repeated.  The  whalebone  of  com- 
merce is  this  food  gatherer,  taken  from  the  whale's 
mouth,  the  hairy  ends  removed,  and  then  split  up  aa 
we  buy  it.  This  is  the  precise  manner  in  which  the 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.      73 

wheel  animalcule  gets  his  nourishment.  The  whale 
is  the  larger  animal,  but  our  little  rotifer  is  the 
greater  curiosity. 

"  Water  seems  to  be  the  native  element  of  these 
living  machines,  though  they  are  often  found  in 
damp  earth,  cells  of  moss,  and  even  in  the  untidy 
hair  brush  of  the  toilet.  They  are  very  tenacious  of 
life,  continuing  to  live  under  conditions  which  would 
necessarily  seem  fatal.  Let  them  be  dried  by  ex- 
posure to  the  heat  of  summer,  and  so  remain  even 
for  years,  and  a  little  water  will  restore  them  to  life 
and  activity.  They  almost  seem  to  have  a  charmed 
life  until  they  have  served  the  purpose  of  repro- 
duction. 

"  They  appear  to  take  special  delight  in  the  bright 
rays  of  the  sun,  and  are  always  found  thicker  at  the 
top  of  the  jar  in  which  they  are  placed,  often  sink- 
ing suddenly  to  the  bottom  when  the  light  is  with- 
drawn. 

"  This  form  of  the  rotifer  is  exceedingly  common, 
and  is  found  in  every  old  ditch  and  pond  of  stagnant 
water,  from  which  circumstance  it  has  the  appella- 
tion of  Rotifer  vulgaris,  although  he  is  anything  but  a 
vulgar  fellow,  as  he  stands  at  the  head  of  a  numer- 
ous race.  Most  nearly  allied  to  him  are  the  Philo- 
dina,Actinurus,audCallidina.  (Plate  II.,  Figs.  2,  3 
and  5.)  Their  forms  and  habits  are  so  near  alike 
7 


74        GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

we  need  not  delay  to  make  more  special  examina- 
tion. * 

"The  Rotifer  propagates  both  by  eggs  and  by 
bringing  forth  its  young  alive — facts  which  can  be 
learned  only  by  a  long  and  patient  investigation, 
conditions  which  put  it  out  of  our  power  to  verify. 

"Ehrenberg,  a  distinguished  German  naturalist, 
declares  that  a  single  rotifer  will  multiply  into  more 
than  sixteen  millions  in  twelve  days.  At  this  rate, 
in  one  month  it  would  equal  the  entire  population  of 
the  United  States,  and  as  each  animal  becomes  a 
parent  in  a  few  hours,  in  this  brief  period  a  single 
individual  has  carried  the  statistics  of  his  race  alto- 
gether beyond  human  calculation.  As  this  process 
has  been  going  on  for  thousands  of  years,  it  has  en- 
abled this  minute  creature  to  make  his  mark  among 
the  other  builders-up  of  earth's  gigantic  structures. 

"  Most  of  the  species  have  strong  jaws  and  teeth 
(see  cut  illustrating  motion  of  cilia,  page  7),  crush- 
ing their  food  by  a  hammer-like  action,  with  several 
capacious  stomachs  for  its  digestion,  to  satisfy  which 
they  consume  enormous  quantities  as  compared  with 
their  own  magnitude. 

"The  little  red  spots  seen  on  the  head  are  sup- 
posed to  be  eyes,  of  which  there  is  sometimes  a 
double  complement.  These  fiery  red  orbs  must  have 
a  terrible  aspect  to  some  of  their  tiny  victims. 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.      75 

"  The  next  most  remarkable  member  of  the  rotifer 
family  is  the  Brachionus  (Plate  II.,  Figs.  4,  12,  13 
and  15),  which  you  have  noticed  darting  and  tum- 
bling here  and  there  in  these  drops  of  water,  shaped 
like  cups,  bells,  balls,  and  bouquets.  They  are  a 
spine-bearing  animalcule,  some  of  them  being  en- 
cased in  a  hard,  shell-like  covering,  and  are  among 
the  most  perfect  and  curious  of  all  the  world  of  ani- 
malcules. They  are  symmetrical  in  structure,  and 
of  ceaseless  and  eccentric  activity.  They  are  the 
acrobats  of  our  menagerie,  and  some  rare  feats  they 
will  show  us,  not  surpassed  in  the  public  exhibition 
by  the  practiced  athlete. 

"  In  some,  the  case  is  beautifully  dotted  and  striped, 
with  collapsed  edges  (Fig.  15),  fringed  around  with 
cilia,  beyond  which  project  two  horns.  Here  is  one, 
and  as  it  adheres  to  the  plate  by  its  slender  re- 
tractile footstalk  (Fig.  4),  it  has  much  the  semblance 
of  a  beautiful  variegated  bell-shaped  flower  just 
opening  to  the  sunlight.  At  any  appearance  of  dan- 
ger it  suddenly  withdraws  into  its  horny  citadel, 
through  the  semi-transparent  sides  of  which  much 
of  its  internal  organization  can  be  observed.  This  is 
quite  complex,  and  takes  the  hue  of  its  principal 
food,  being  green,  brown,  or  red  by  turns.  We  can 
take  advantage  of  this,  and  by  using  a  little  carmine, 
indigo,  or  other  coloring  matter,  give  a  new  beauty 


76        GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

as  well  as  more  easily  notice  the  process  of  diges- 
tion. 

"The  Brachionus  seems  capable  of  transforming 
itself  into  marvelously  curious  shapes,  so  that  we 
are  not  always  sure  that  we  have  a  specimen  under 
our  glass  until  we  have  observed  it  for  some  time, 
and  he  will  be  sure  to  show  his  colors.  This  fact, 
with  the  large  number  of  members  included  in  the 
family,  gives  us  some  rare  pictures  to  gaze  upon, 
some  of  which  are  now  before  our  eyes. 


Forms  of  the  BracMonus. 

"  Their  movements  are  marvels  of  gymnastic  feats. 
Swimming,  crawling,  throwing  back  and  forward 
summersaults,  at  the  whim  of  the  creatures,  and  be- 
ing of  different  hues  and  shades,  they  give  a  new 
and  lively  aspect  to  our  minute  world. 


GREAT   WONDERS    IN   LITTLE   THINGS.      77 

"  Its  chief  food  seems  to  be  the  monads  and  other 
smaller  fry,  which  it  gobbles  up  with  great  avidity 
and  grinds  between  its  hammer-like  jaw,  which  you 
can  see  working  so  actively  just  below  the  revolving 
cilia. 

"There  are  many  other  members  of  the  great 
family  of  rotifers  which  deserve  mention,  as  Eosphora 
and  Diglena  (Plate  II. ,  Figs.  10,  11),  but  we  must 
pass  them  by  and  pay  some  attention  to  the  little 
hermit  Vaginicola  (Plate  II.,  Fig.  17),  dwelling  alone 
in  a  transparent  home,  from  which  he  timidly  comes 
forth  as  necessity  may  require.  Sometimes  there 
appears  to  be  two  animals,  one  growing  out  of  the 
other,  in  shape  very  much  like  two  morning-glories 
stuck  one  within  the  other,  as  is  often  done  by  the 
girls.  The  mouth  is  surrounded  by  the  usual  cilia, 
which  is  always  in  rapid  motion  when  the  animal 
protrudes  from  its  shell. 

"The  Melicerta  (Plate  II.,  Fig.  18)  also  dwells  in 
a  tubular  home,  but  it  is  quite  opaque,  and  if  what 
is  hidden  is  half  as  hideous  as  that  which  is  revealed, 
we  should  be  grateful  for  the  concealment,  for  such 
a  horrid  mouth  fortunately  is  not  often  seen.  Look 
at  those  four  great  lobes  of  whirling  cilia  which  he 
pushes  out  so  furiously,  and  mark  how  the  stream  of 
devoted  monads  goes  rushing  into  his  dark  maw,  and 
you  will  call  him  ugly  and  cruel. 
7* 


78        GREAT    WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

"Not  thus  will  you  judge  the  graceful  Pterodina 
(Plate  II. ,  Fig.  7).  His  home  is  a  large  circular 
shell,  pale  in  color  or  quite  transparent,  with  some 
very  beautiful  markings.  He  has  a  long  prehensile 
tail,  which  he  uses  with  great  dexterity,  and  the 
double  ciliated  mouth  of  the  head  of  the  family. 

"  The  CEcistes  (Plate  II.,  Fig.  21)  is  also  a  dweller 
in  a  cell,  which  is  beautifully,  though  sometimes 
faintly,  marked.  He  has  a  ciliated  mouth,  flanked 
by  long  horns.  The  three  oval  bodies  seen  through 
the  case  are  the  eggs,  which  are  expelled  after  ma- 
turity. 

"We  shall  only  mention  two  other  members  of 
this  interesting  class,  the  Limnias  (Plate  II.,  Figs.  14 
and  22).  We  have  two  varieties  before  us,  the  Cera- 
tophylli,  dwelling  in  a  long,  yellow,  spotted  case,  with 
two  lobes  of  cilia  projecting,  and  rather  attractive. 
But  the  other,  though  of  a  beautiful  green  color,  in 
fine  contrast  with  the  glassy  clearness  of  the  cell 
from  which  it  protrudes,  is  a  snaky  monster,  with 
his  huge  mouth  filled  with  seemingly  sharp  fangs, 
and  wide  open  ready  to  devour  whatever  comes 
within  their  sweep.  From  his  appearance  under 
our  instrument,  we  should  almost  fear  to  put  our 
finger  within  reach  of  his  jaws.  We  will  let  him 
pass,  and  with  him  take  our  leave,  for  the  present, 
of  the  rotifer  family. 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN    LITTLE   THINGS.       79 

"  At  this  stage  of  our  examination  we  will  pause, 
although  we  have  barely  commenced  our  investiga- 
tion of  the  collection  which  you  obtained  this  fore- 
noon, leaving  abundant  materials  for  future  hours 
of  enjoyment,  to  which  I  fondly  hope  every  beloved 
pupil  in  my  school  will  be  entitled  to  free  admission 
on  the  terms  already  stated. 

"One  thing  more,  and  then  I  shall  dismiss  you 
for  the  day.  All  those  who  are  dissatisfied  because 
I  refused  you  a  half  holiday  to  attend  the  show  of 
wild  beasts  will  hold  up  their  hands  and  receive 
their  twenty-five  cents,  with  permission  to  be  absent 
on  to-morrow  forenoon.  What,  not  one  ?  Now  let 
all  those  who  are  fully  satisfied  with  the  entertain- 
ment which  I  have  given  in  the  place  of  it  show 
their  hands." 

In  response  to  this  request  all  hands  went  up  with 
alacrity. 

Mr.  Willard  contemplated  the  scene  before  him 
with  an  evident  glow  of  satisfaction,  and  then,  with 
much  emotion,  said  : 

"Children,  I  most  cordially  thank  you.  This 
evidence  that  I  have  succeeded  in  my  efforts  to  fur- 
nish you  with  an  innocent  gratification  causes  me 
great  happiness.  But  my  intention  was  not  alone 
to  amuse  you,  although  to  do  that  will  always  give 
me  pleasure.  I  have  had  a  higher  motive.  It  has 


80        GREAT   WONDERS    IN    LITTLE   THINGS. 

been  my  chief  aim  to  convey  wholesome  lessons  of 
intelligence  and  moral  instruction — to  give  you,  if 
I  could,  higher  and  juster  conceptions  of  the  divine 
power  and  goodness — in  which  intention  I  trust  I 
have  also  succeeded,  and  this  makes  our  pleasure 
mutual.  This  will  beget  a  more  entire  confidence 
between  us,  so  that  hereafter  you  will  the  more 
readily  yield  to  any  suggestions  which  I  may  deem 
proper  to  make  from  time  to  time,  being  thus  as- 
sured that  I  will  deny  you  no  privilege  or  enjoyment 
that  is  pure  and  healthful.  Your  happiness  and 
well-being  will  always  be  my  chief  aim." 

As  Mr.  Willard  was  about  to  dismiss  the  school, 
Alf  Green  arose,  and,  with  much  emotion,  said : 

"Dear  teacher,  I  can't  leave  the  school-house  to- 
day without  making  a  confession.  When  you  denied 
our  request  yesterday  I  felt  angry  and  disappointed, 
and  said  so  to  my  school-fellows ;  and  now  I  can't 
be  happy  without  confessing  my  fault  and  asking 
forgiveness  before  the  whole  school.  You  have  not 
only  given  us  amusement  and  instruction,  which  has 
filled  us  with  wonder,  but  afforded  me,  and  I  believe 
all  the  scholars,  a  day  of  real  pleasure,  greater,  I'm 
sure,  than  I  should  have  had  at  the  circus.  Here- 
after, dear  teacher,  you  need  use  no  other  means  to 
keep  me  from  any  place  of  amusement  than  to  tell  me 
that  you  have  something  to  show  me.  In  this,  I'm 


GREAT    WONDERS    IN    LITTLE   THINGS.       81 

sure,  all  my  school-fellows  will  agree,  if  you  will 
allow  me  for  once  to  take  your  place  and  ask  an  ex- 
pression of  their  feelings.  Let  all  the  scholars  who 
feel  as  I  do  hold  up  their  hands.  You  see,  teacher, 
they  are  all  up  once  more !" 

While  Alf  was  speaking,  the  face  of  Mr.  Willard 
exhibited  a  strong  effort  to  suppress  the  emotions 
which  he  felt.  The  tears  trembled  on  his  eyelids, 
and  he  'had  to  pause  some  moments  before  he  could 
sufficiently  command  himself  to  reply.  He  then 
said,  with  a  thickened  utterance : 

"  I  do  not  know  who  is  the  happiest  to-day,  teacher 
or  pupils,  but  of  one  thing  I  am  certain — we  all  are 
happy  because  we  have  tried  to  do  right  and  follow 
the  ways  of  wisdom,  and  in  so  doing  we  shall  always 
find  that  her  *  ways  are  ways  of  pleasantness,  and  all 
her  paths  are  peace.' 

"  The  best  wish  that  I  can  bestow  upon  you  is, 
that  you  may  ever  pursue  them  with  the  same  cheer- 
fulness and  pleasure  which  have  characterized  this 
day's  experience.  Open  alike  to  all,  and  having 
such  rich  treasures  to  bestow,  it  is  surprising  that  so 
many  turn  away  to  follow  the  giddy  and  ruinous 
paths  of  mere  sensual  pleasure.  May  the  blessed 
path  you  have  been  treading  to-day  grow  brighter 
and  brighter  unto  the  perfect  day !" 
F 


83 


PLATE    III. 


VORTICELLA. 

'IGURES 

1,  2.  Amphileptus. 

3.  Amphileptus  papellosus. 

4.  Dileptus. 

5.  Coleps  hirtus. 

6.  Kondylostoma  patens. 

7.  Trachelocerca  viridis. 
8-10.  Free  Vorticella. 

11-13.  Stentors. 

14, 15.  Vorticella  encysted. 

16.  Conochilus  Vorticella. 

17.  Carchesium  Vorticella. 

18.  Convallaria  Vorticella. 

19.  Microstoraa. 

20.  Full-grown  bud  of  Microstoma. 

21.  Full-grown  bud  of  Microstoma,  stockless. 
84 


PlcdeHL. 


Yorticella,  <fcc. 


CHAPTER    VI. 

THE   VORTICELLA. 

A  HAPPY  and  wondering  throng  of  children 
went  that  evening  from  the  Woodlawn  school- 
house,  giving  scarcely  a  thought  to  the  perambulat- 
ing exhibition  from  which  their  attention  had  been 
so  skillfully  withdrawn.  Nor  did  their  happiness 
cease  with  the  entertainment  at  the  school-house,  but 
continued  with  almost  unabated  interest  as  they 
described  the  wonders  they  had  seen  to  their  grati- 
fied parents. 

Little  Nettie  Newton  now  fully  understood  how 
people  could  see  through  glass  eyes,  and  continued  to 
talk  about  the  wonderful  things  she  had  seen  until 
her  father  suggested  that  perhaps  her  tongue  had 
multiplied  as  did  some  of  Mr.  Willard's  animalcules. 
There  were  many  suspicious  peerings  into  tumblers 
of  water  before  the  usually  welcome  beverage  was 
swallowed,  while  some  declared  they  would  never 
drink  another  drop — a  resolution  which  was  forgotten 
on  the  following  morning,  or  disregarded  under  the 
pressure  of  returning  appetite. 

8  85 


86        GREAT    WONDERS   IK   LITTLE   THINGS. 

With  many  of  the  girls  there  was  a  careful  cleans- 
ing of  hair  brushes,  which  even  then  were  used  with 
a  kind  of  shudder,  as  though  they  could  feel  some 
lively  rotifer  twisting  their  silken  locks  in  his  wheels 
as  he  tried  to  navigate  amid  their  luxuriance. 

To  many  it  almost  seemed  like  a  dream,  so  strange 
were  the  objects  which  they  had  seen  of  which  they 
had  previously  no  knowledge.  Here  they  had  seen 
them  with  their  own  eyes,  but  they  could  not  fully 
resist  the  impression  that  in  some  way  Mr.  Willard 
had  practiced  upon  them  some  sleight-of-hand:  so 
strong  was  this  conviction  that  it  required  the 
positive  confirmation  of  their  parents,  in  some  cases, 
to  remove  it  entirely. 

The  promised  repetition  of  these  magical  revela- 
tions for  an  hour  each  day  was  sufficient  to  secure  a 
prompt  attendance  and  an  increased  attention  to  de- 
portment and  study,  that  their  right  to  admission 
might  not  be  forfeited — a  contingency  which  occurred 
but  in  one  or  two  instances  during  the  whole  course 
of  the  subsequent  investigations. 

According  to  promise,  at  the  close  of  the  next  af- 
ternoon's session  Mr.  Willard  arranged  his  instru- 
ments as  before,  and  said : 

"  Dear  children,  we  will  now  resume  our  explora- 
tions into  the  mysterious  life  existing  in  a  drop  of 
water,  and  I  shall  not  be  surprised  if  you  are  quite 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.      87 

as  much  interested  in  the  rare  animals  which  will  be 
on  exhibition  as  you  were  yesterday,  though  the 
novelty  will  not  be  so  striking  as  it  was  when  you 
were  first  introduced  to  its  strange  inhabitants.  I 
have  some  splendid  little  fellows  for  your  examina- 
tion this  afternoon ;  in  fact,  they  are  considered  by 
many  as  the  most  attractive  of  all  the  animalcules 
yet  discovered.  But  of  this  you  shall  be  your  own 
judges. 

"The  Vorticellce,  or  Bell  aniinalcules  (Plate  III., 
Figs.  17,  18  and  19),  are  very  abundant  in  all  ponds 
and  ditches  where  there  are  decaying  weeds  or  grass, 
or  other  vegetable  accumulations.  They  are  often 
found  also  in  many  utensils  used  for  holding  water, 
or  that  remain  for  any  length  of  time  in  a  damp 
state.  Thus  the  scraping  of  a  wooden  bucket  in 
which  water  has  stood  will  generally  show  them  in 
great  abundance  and  perfection  adhering  to  the 
woody  fibres  which  will  be  detached.  They  will 
breed  in  damp  combs,  hair  brushes,  bathing  sponges, 
and  other  toilet  articles  which  are  not  cleansed  and 
dried  with  great  care.  Although  not  very  horrid 
creatures,  yet  this  fact  should  lead  to  great  careful- 
ness in  all  matters  of  cleanliness  of  person  and  those 
articles  used  in  the  process  of  cleansing  it. 

"  The  Bell  animalcules  may  be  regarded  as  equal 
in  interest  to  anything  revealed  in  the  largest  and 


88        GREAT    WONDERS   IN    LITTLE   THINGS. 

highest  class  of  animals.  I  think  when  you  have 
seen  them  you  will  agree  that  nothing  advertised  as 
forming  a  part  of  the  collection  now  in  our  town 
surpasses  these  minute  creatures  in  beauty  of  form, 
nicety  of  mechanical  arrangement,  or  variety  and 
grace  of  motion,  combining,  as  they  do,  the  activity 
and  elegance  of  the  rarest  animal  life  with  the 
beauty  and  delicacy  of  the  flowers. 

"They  have  the  cilia  of  the  class  last  under  con- 
sideration, although  quite  differently  adjusted.  But 
their  marked  peculiarity,  and  that  which  gives  them 
a  class  name,  is  an  attachment  like  a  long,  flexible, 
thread-like  tube,  by  which  they  are  generally  found 
adhering  to  fronds  of  algae  or  other  permanent  ob- 
jects. It  appears  like  a  fine  India-rubber  thread, 
capable  of  an  indefinite  stretching,  hollow  through 
its  entire  length,  and  contracting  instantaneously  at 
the  will  of  the  governing  head,  taking  a  beautiful 
spiral  form  when  thus  drawn  up. 

"Dr.  Hogg,  of  England,  in  his  large  work  on  the 
'Microscope  and  its  Uses/  thus  speaks  of  this  beau- 
ful  denizen  of  the  water  drops: 

"  *  The  Vorticella  is  not  wholly  condemned  to  pass 
a  sort  of  vegetable  life,  rooted,  as  it  were,  to  a  single 
spot  by  its  slender  stalk;  its  Creator  has  foreseen 
the  probable  arrival  of  a  period  in  its  existence  when 
the  power  of  locomotion  would  become  necessary, 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.      89 

and  this  contingency  is  provided  for  in  a  manner 
calculated  to  excite  our  highest  admiration.  At  the 
lower  extremity  of  the  body  of  the  animal,  at  the 
point  of  junction  with  the  stalk,  a  new  fringe  of 
cilia  is  developed,  and  when  this  is  fully  formed  the 
Vorticella  quits  its  stalk  and  casts  itself  freely  upon 
the  world  of  waters.  (Plate  III.,  Figs.  8,  9  and  10.) 
The  development  of  this  locomotive  fringe  of  cilia, 
and  the  subsequent  power  of  swimming  by  the  Vorti- 
cella, are  generally  connected  with  the  propagation 
of  the  species,  which  in  this  and  some  other  of  the 
allied  genera  presents  a  series  of  most  complicated 
and  curious  phenomena. 

"  *  This  mode  of  reproduction  is  called  gemmation. 
It  consists  of  the  production  of  a  sort  of  bud  (Plate 
III.,  Figs.  14  and  15)  which  generally  acquires  the 
form  and  structure  of  the  perfect  animal.  In  the 
Vorticella  these  buds,  when  mature,  quit  the  parent 
stem  after  developing  a  circlet  of  cilia  at  the  lower 
extremity,  and  fix  themselves  in  a  new  habitation  in 
exactly  the  same  manner  as  the  individuals  produced 
by  the  division  of  the  bell. 

"  '  At  an  earlier  or  later  period  of  their  existence, 
the  Vorticella  withdraw  the  disc  surrounded  by  cilia 
which  forms  the  anterior  portion  of  their  bodies,  and 
contracting  themselves  into  a  ball,  secrete  a  gelatin- 
ous covering  which  gradually  solidifies  and  forms  a 
8  * 


90        GREAT    WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

sort  of  capsule,  within  which  the  animal  is  com- 
pletely enclosed.  By  this  process  the  little  animal  is 
said  to  become  encysted,  and  at  this  point  of  its  his- 
tory it  is  seen  to  be  more  complicated.  Sometimes  its 
further  progress  commences  by  the  breaking  up  of 
the  nucleus  into  a  number  of  minute  oval  discs  which 
swim  about  in  the  thin  gelatinous  mass  into  which  the 
substance  of  the  parent  has  been  dissolved.  (Plate 
III.,  Fig.  21.)  The  body  of  the  animal  enclosed 
within  the  cyst  now  becomes  apparently  divided 
into  separate  little  sacs,  or  bags,  some  of  which  ac- 
quire a  considerable  increase  of  size,  and  at  length 
break  through  the  walls  of  the  cyst.  After  a  time 
one  of  these  projections  of  the  internal  substance 
bursts  at  the  apex,  and  through  the  opening  thus 
formed  the  gelatinous  contents  of  the  cyst,  the  en- 
closed embryos,  are  suddenly  shot  out  into  the 
water,  there  to  become  diffused  and  give  rise  to  new 
generations. 

"'But  the  final  object  of  this  singular  metamor- 
phosis still  remains  to  be  described.  The  nucleus, 
which  at  the  change  of  the  encysted  animalcule  was 
distinctly  observable,  becomes  entirely  and  altogether 
converted  into  an  active  Vorticella,  acquiring  an 
ovate  form,  with  a  circle  of  cilia  round  its  narrow 
extremity,  and  presenting  at  the  opposite  end  a  dis- 
tinct mouth.  Within  this  young  animal,  while  still 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.      91 

enclosed  in  the  body  of  the  parent,  we  see  a  distinct 
nucleus  and  the  usual  contractile  space  of  the  full- 
grown  creature/ 

"  The  process  here  described  you  can  observe  in 
the  water  drops  under  examination,  although  we  • 
have  not  sufficient  time  to  delay  and  carefully  verify 
the  wonderful  facts.  We  can  see  enough,  however, 
in  one  of  the  specimens  under  our  glasses,  to  give  us 
a  beautiful  confirmation.  Notice  that  splendid  clus- 
ter of  the  Mierostoma.  (Plate  III.,  Fig.  19.)  You 
observe -that  every  animal  is  attached  to  a  separate 
foot-stalk  of  very  great  length,  stretching  out  in  all 
directions,  and  springing  back  with  a  graceful  spiral 
motion.  There  is  just  perceptible  in  the  little  bell- 
shaped  head  a  bluish  purple  tinge,  giving  the  animal 
a  striking  resemblance  to  a  morning-glory  trembling 
in  the  breeze,  with  here  and  there  one  breaking  loose 
from  its  parent  stem  and  whirling  away  as  if  exult- 
ing to  be  free  from  parental  restraint.  Some  are 
double  headed — made  so  by  the  forming  of  the  bud 
which  is  to  develop  into  the  new  generation.  You 
can  see  the  cilia  putting  out  at  the  anterior  end  of 
the  bell. 

"Scattered  through  the  water  are  numbers  of 
these  bud-like  cysts,  working  like  the  soap-bubbles 
which  you  often  blow  from  the  bowl  of  a  pipe,  and, 
like  the  broken  bubble,  flying  apart  into  the  numer- 


92        GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

ous  germs  of  a  new  life.  We  can,  when  looking  at 
wonders  like  these,  say  with  Solomon :  '  The  eye  is 
not  satisfied  with  seeing,  nor  the  ear  with  hearing.' 
We  look  and  look  again,  and  wonder  if  it  is  a  dream 
or  reality  that  we  see.  We  are  truly  beholding 
something  stranger  than  the 

'  Stuff  that  dreams  are  made  of/ 

yet  as  real  as  the  everlasting  hills — a  delicate  pic- 
ture of  Nature's  painting,  refining  by  its  lessons  of 
beauty  in  forms  and  adaptation,  of  mutual  depend- 
ence and  reciprocity. 

"  The  Carchesium  (Fig.  17)  is  of  the  same  family 
as  the  last,  but  is  noticeable  from  the  fact  that  the 
clustered  animals  are  all  growing  upon  one  main 
foot-stalk,  from  which  they  branch  out  in  all  direc- 
tions— a  living  althea  bush,  which  it  will  more 
nearly  resemble  in  the  pale,  pinkish  color  of  the 
flowers  when  we  have  put  a  little  carmine  into  the 
water.  There  !  is  not  that  a  beautiful  living  flower  ? 
The  same  graceful  effect  is  seen  in  that  splendid 
cluster  of  Convallaria  (Fig.  18)  near  by.  In  this 
animal  is  seen  the  same  individuality  as  in  the 
first  examined ;  each  one  grows  on  a  separate  stalk, 
and  being  larger  in  size,  the  process  of  propagating 
can  be  seen  with  more  distinctness,  and  also  the 
tubular  formation  of  the  thread-like  attachment, 
with  its  spiral  shape  when  the  animal  springs  back. 


GREAT    WONDERS    IN    LITTLE   THINGS.       93 

"It  is  very  interesting  to  watch  the  eccentric 
movements  of  the  free  Vorticellse.  They  seem  to 
exult  in  their  deliverance  from  restraint;  hence  they 
part  from  the  stem,  where  they  have  had  their 
growth,  with  a  violent  jerk,  and  spring  away  with  a 
flying  speed.  Here  they  go,  over  and  over,  like  a 
gymnast  turning  summersaults,  now  stopping  to  re- 
volve in  an  eccentric  orbit  or  spinning  like  a  top ; 
now  zigzag  or  with  an  up-and-down  motion.  Occa- 
sionally one  will  stop,  and  turning  the  mouth  or  the 
bell  downward,  will  remain  motionless,  except  a 
rapid  play  of  the  cilia,  which  is  so  violent  as  some- 
times to  give  an  oscillating  motion  to  the  animal. 
This  motion  continues  for  a  few  minutes,  when  the 
creature  either  resumes  his  speed,  or,  which  is  more 
generally  the  case,  suddenly  flies  into  broken  frag- 
ments, like  the  bursting  of  a  grindstone  from  too 
rapid  revolution.  I  think  the  menagerie  under  the 
big  tent  has  nothing  so  wonderful  to  exhibit  as  our 
little  Bell  animalcule. 

"One  of  the  most  remarkable  species  in  this 
family  of  Infusoria  is  called  the  Stentor,  or  Trumpet 
animalcule  (Plate  III.,  Figs.  11, 12  and  13) — a  name 
to  which  they  can  lay  just  claims  from  having  much 
the  shape  of  a  French  horn,  as  you  will  readily 
notice.  They  are  generally  found  adhering  to  some 
fragment  of  conferva  by  a  pointed  foot-stalk.  The 


94        GREAT    WONDERS    IX    LITTLE    THINGS. 

mouth  is  very  large  and  round,  excepting  on  one 
side,  which  has  a  peculiar  notch,  all  of  which  is  sur- 
rounded with  long  cilia  in  constant  play,  except 
when  the  animal  is  retracted.  They  present  a  rare 
display  of  bright  colors,  green,  red,  bluish,  yellow, 
brown  of  all  shades,  and  nearly  colorless.  Some- 
times these  are  so  blended  together  as  to  rival  the 
rainbow  in  brilliancy,  transforming  the  drop  of 
water  into  a  fairy  scene  of  splendor.  This  you  have 
noticed,  I  perceive,  by  calling  my  attention  to  what 
you  designate  a  '  perfect  bouquet.'  It  is  a  fine  group 
of  Stentors  in  vigorous  activity,  and  if  you  will  watch 
them  for  a  time,  you  will  see  many  of  them  quit 
their  hold  and  swim  away  in  every  possible  shape 
and  movement,  now  mouth  foremost  and  then  re- 
versed, or  rotating  as  on  an  axis,  sideway,  and  in 
alternate  half  circles.  Its  shapes  are  as  various. 
All  these  transformations  and  blendings  of  colors 
produce  at  times  an  effect  similar  to  the  revolving 
of  a  Chinese  wheel  dazzling  with  its  brilliancy. 

"  The  Stentors  multiply  by  eggs  and  sub-division, 
which  latter  process  you  can  constantly  see  going  on. 
You  will  mark  a  splendid  Stentor  rapidly  moving 
across  the  field  of  view,  then  suddenly  stop,  turn  its 
trumpet-mouth  upward,  in  which  there  seems  to  be  a 
wonderful  commotion.  Soon  there  are  seen  various 
little  buds  or  protrusions  constantly  in  motion,  and 


GREAT   WONDERS    IN   LITTLE   THINGS.       95 

growing  larger  and  larger,  each  bubble  glowing  with 
a  different  hue  as  it  alternately  catches  the  varying 
shades  of  light,  bearing,  like  some  already  named, 
though  more  strikingly,  a  close  resemblance  to  a  rich 
bouquet,  where  each  leaf  and  petal  trembles  in  a 
gentle  wind.  Mark  it  still,  and  anon  it  will  burst 
into  a  multitude  of  fragments  :  the  parent  has  ceased 
to  exist,  but  hundreds  of  children  were  then  born  to 
transmit  the  ancestral  glories  to  the  generations  to 
come. 

"  I  w6nder  not  that  you  look  astonished  at  such  a 
display  of  creative  power  and  wisdom,  mysterious, 
transcendently  beautiful,  and  beyond  the  possibility 
of  imitation,  yet  as  real  as  are  the  most  stupendous 
works  of  God !  All  these  things  are  but  parts  of  his 
ways,  yet  so  plainly  are  they  opened  to  us  that  we 
must  be  self-blinded  if  we  are  not  led  by  these  minute 
indices  to  his  footstool  who  created  all  these  things 
that  he  might  make  his  power  and  wisdom  known, 
and  thereby  incite  us  to  praise  and  adore  him. 

"  The  C&nochilus  vorticella  (Plate  III.,  Fig.  16)  is 
also  a  wonder  of  gracefulness  a*nd  beautiful  mechan- 
ism. It  is  composed  of  twenty  or  more  little  ciliated 
creatures  attached  to  a  hyaline  or  glassy  centre  by 
the  usual  attenuated  thread,  each  animal  being  ovoid 
or  cup-shaped,  forming  a  group  of  exquisite  perfec- 
tion. They  are  generally  transparent,  except  the 


96        GREAT    WONDERS    IN    LITTLE   THINGS. 

eye  spots,  which  are  red,  and  being  slightly  tinged 
with  the  hue  of  whatever  they  live  upon.  Taken 
from  their  cells,  they  have  much  the  appearance  of 
some  species  of  Brachionus,  with  which  they  have 
been  confounded  by  some  writers. 

"  It  is  a  charming  sight  to  notice  these  globes  of 
Conochilus    revolving    in    such    perfect     harmony 
through  the  water.      They  turn  in  every  possible 
manner,  and  move  with  considerable 
rapidity.     After  a  time  the  family  re- 
lation  is   broken  up,  and  each  indi- 
vidual sets  up  for  himself,  yet  all  ful- 
filling the  same  divine  purpose. 

"  The  Amphileptus  and  Dileptus  are 
of  a  different  family.  (Plate  III.,  Figs. 
1,  2,  3  and  4.)  They  are  exceedingly 
curious  creatures.  Their  bodies  are 

Isolated  Conochilus. 

very  flexible,  with  long  lancet-shaped 
necks,  which  they  wave  around  in  search  of  prey, 
like  the  motion  of  a  ribbon  gently  waved  by  the 
hand.  This  long  tongue  is  ciliated  to  the  end,  at 
the  root  of  which  there  is  an  open  mouth  into  which 
it  draws  whatever  may  come  within  its  sweep.  They 
are  very  attractive  creatures,  from  their  odd  shapes 
and  curious  movements.  They  are  mostly  found 
twined  with  some  fibre  of  algse,  and  stationary,  but 
at  times  they  quit  their  hold,  and  backward  or  for- 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.      97 


ward,  it  appears  to  matter  little  which,  they  move 
among  their  minute  fellows,  who  generally  prepare 
to  give  them  a  wide  berth.  Often  they  are  seen  with 
both  extremities  turned  up  like  the  bows  of  an  In- 
dian canoe,  and  with  a  kind  of  rocking  motion 
make  their  voyages,  bearing  no  slight  resemblance 
to  the  above-named  vessel,  without  its  dusky  occu- 
pant. The  Papellous  (Fig.  3)  is  bristled  like  a 
hedge  hog. 

"  TheColepshirtus  (Plate  III.,  Fig.  5), or  Barrelani- 
malcules,  will  next  claim  some  notice.  Their  slight 
resemblance  to  a  barrel  has  given  them  a  name,  but 
others  have  more  appropri- 
ately called  them  the  musk- 
melon  animalcules.  They 
are  formed  of  a  cylindrical, 
hairy  body,  with  blunted 
ends  and  corrugated  sides, 
swimming  or  rolling,  as 
suits  their  whim.  They  are 
very  greedy  little  creatures, 
and,  like  the  monads,  they 
are  found  in  great  numbers 
around  any  dead  animalcule.  They  will  tear  off 
little  bits  of  the  animal,  as  a  hungry  dog  would  the 
flesh  from  his  bone,  which  you  can  see  passing  into 
the  creature's  stomach.  When  this  supply  of  food 
9  G 


The  Coleps  Feeding. 


98        GREAT   WONDERS    IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

cannot  be  found  he  will  be  seen  whirling  through 
the  water  filling  his  barrel  with  monads  and  other 
living  creatures. 

"We  have  also  under  our  glasses  several  speci- 
mens of  the  Kondylostoma  (Plate  III.,  Fig.  6),  a 
long  fusiform  creature  entirely  surrounded  by  cilia. 
His  motions  are  peculiar  and  graceful.  Sometimes 
he  is  seen  as  a  half  moon,  constantly  moving  in  a 
circle,  and  then  as  a  screw  winding  through  the 
water,  or,  with  head  and  tail  bent  upward,  he  is  a 
gondola  graceful  as  ever  rode  the  waters  of  Venice. 

"  But  we  come  to  the  last  object  which  we  shall 
notice  in  this  connection,  and  a  rare  one  he  is,  not- 
withstanding his  long  name,  which,  by  the  by,  is  not 
near  as  lengthy  as  himself — the  Trachelocerca  viri- 
dis  (Plate  III.,  Fig.  7),  or  Swan  animalcule.  In 
my  examination  few  objects  have  attracted  more  of 
my  attention  than  this  one.  He  has  but  a  very 
small  body,  of  an  oval  shape,  which  of  itself  is 
nearly  colorless,  but  wearing  the  hue  of  the  food 
which  has  been  swallowed.  But  what  a  neck  ! — long, 
longer,  longest  of  created  things,  perhaps,  in  propor- 
tion to  the  size  of  the  body.  The  specimens  we  have 
under  examination  are  stretched  out  to  a  wonderful 
length,  but  I  have  seen  them  twice  this  measure. 
How  flexible  it  is,  winding  around  any  object  with 
which  it  meets  two  or  three  times  like  a  thread,  or 


GEEAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.       99 

twisting  in  and  out  like  stitches.  At  the  far  end 
you  will  notice  a  wheel  of  cilia,  by  which  he  draws 
in  his  food.  I  once  heard  a  little  girl  say,  while 
eating  candy,  that  she  wished  her  throat  was  twice 
as  long,  that  she  might  taste  the  sweet  longer.  The 
Swan  animalcule  must  enjoy  this  privilege  to  perfec- 
tion, for  if  our  throats  were  as  long  in  proportion, 
we  should  have  a  mile  or  two  of  swallow. 

"You  notice  the  little  creature  swims  in  either 
direction,  forward  or  backward,  but  when  he  re- 
verses his  motion  the  long  neck  is  drawn  in  to  less 
than  half  its  length.  Often  I  have  met  with  speci- 
mens which  had  the  proboscis  doubled  at  the  end, 
giving  two  mouths  with  which  to  enjoy  his  food — a 
plan  which,  I  have  no  doubt,  would  suit  some  greedy 
boys  and  girls  who  live  to  eat,  not  eat  to  live. 

"  Sometimes  these  long-necked  gentlemen  are  very 
pugnacious,  and  try  the  process  of  garroting  their 
victims  by  winding  their  proboscis  around  their 
necks  or  bodies,  and  when  their  murder  is  finished 
leave  the  body  for  others  to  prey  upon. 

"They  multiply  doubtless  by  eggs,  which  is  a 
process  too  slow  for  our  purpose,  but  the  other  and 
stranger  way  of  subdivision  we  can  observe  with 
great  satisfaction,  as  it  is  now  going  on  before  us. 
Notice  that  cluster  around  that  stem  of  conferva, 
especially  those  seemingly  double  ones  beneath  it. 


100     GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

They  are  in  process  of  subdivision.  In  one  you  can 
see  the  neck  just  protruding,  while  the  original  ani- 
mal turns  and  twists,  as  if  desirous  to  be  relieved  of 
its  burden.  Its  long  neck  is  whirled  around  like 
the  whip  of  a  stage  driver,  or  spasmodically  entwined 
around  its  own  body.  This  state  of  things  will  last 
for  some  time,  when,  with  one  mighty  struggle,  the 
separation  will  take  place,  and  the  newly-perfected 
swan  will  stretch  out  his  long  proboscis  and  shoot 
away,  while  the  exhausted  parent  seems  to  court  a 
season  of  repose. 


Sivan  Animalcule  Subdividing. 

"  The  beautiful  pictures  at  which  we  have  been 
looking  ought  not  to  be  too  soon  effaced.  We  will 
therefore  close  our  afternoon's  enjoyment  at  this 
point. 

"  As  I  came  to  the  school-house  this  morning  I 
saw  the  menagerie  moving  out  of  town.  What  little 
enjoyment  it  afforded  is  now  only  a  thing  of  the 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    101 

past,  but  we  have  many  pleasant  hours  yet  to  spend 
before  our  resources  of  pleasure  will  all  have  been 
examined,  and  as  for  exhausting  them,  that  is  im- 
possible. And  herein  is  one  of  the  greatest  wonders 
which  will  come  under  our  notice.  We  can  soon 
exhaust  the  catalogue  of  the  great  animals  of  the 
world,  but  in  the  small  compass  of  a  few  drops  of 
water  there  will  be  found  a  sufficient  number  of  va- 
rieties to  fill  the  pages  of  a  large  volume.  I  have  a 
Micrographic  Dictionary  of  over  a  thousand  pages, 
and  even  that  is  condensed. 

"With  all  these  facts  before  us,  we  may  claim 
that  our  menagerie  deserves  the  highest  commenda- 
tion and  patronage,  which  I  hope  it  may  continue 
to  receive  from  my  beloved  pupils." 
9* 


|tt0Itmt,    jstasta,  anb  Sibrionts. 


103 


PLATE     IV. 


EUGLENA,  ASTASIA,  POLYPS,  AND  POLYZOA. 

FIGURES 

1-5.  Astasia. 

6-10.  Euglena. 

11.  Diflulgia. 

12,  13.  Hydra  Vulgaris. 

14.  Plumatella  Repens. 

15,  16.  Eggs  of  the  Christatella. 

17.  Christatella  Mucedo. 

18.  Lophopus  crystallinus. 
19,  20.  Hydra  attenuata. 

104 


PlateJV. 


CHAPTER    VII. 

EUGLENA,  ASTASIA,  AND  VJBRIONES. 

interest  excited  in  the  minds  of  the  children 
by  the  second  day's  exhibition  was  not  less  than 
that  of  the  previous  day ;  the  objects  were  so  strik- 
ingly beautiful  and  novel.  Not  only  did  they  learn 
of  the  existence  of  new  races  of  animals,  but  observed 
in  them  such  shapes  and  habits  as  seemed  to  bring 
them  into  close  relation  to  the  floral  kingdom. 
They  budded  and  bloomed,  fruited  and  ripened ; 
were  branched  with  leaf  and  tendril ;  and  had  it  not 
been  for  their  movements,  they  would  have  been  at 
once  pronounced  the  flora  of  the  watery  garden. 
And  all  this  in  a  drop  of  water,  where  the  unaided 
eye  could  detect  nothing !  They  could  hardly  de- 
termine which  emotion  was  stronger,  wonder  or  ad- 
miration. Of  one  thing,  however,  they  were  sure — 
they  had  an  increased  desire  to  search  farther  into 
this  wonderful  microscopic  world. 

In  going  to  and  from  the  school  there  was  much 
animated  discussion  among  the  scholars  respecting 
the  marvelous  things  which  they  had  seen.  The 

105 


106      GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

thoughtful  George  Snow  could  not  resist  the  impulse 
to  tease  Tim  Allen  for  his  rash  censure  of  his  be- 
loved teacher,  and  so,  when  they  met  at  the  school- 
house  gate  on  the  morning  of  the  third  day,  George 
said : 

"  Well,  Tim,  what  do  you  think  of  Mr.  Willard's 
menagerie  ?  You  thought  you  knew  all  the  animals 
which  could  be  found  around  Woodlawn,  but  I 
rather  think  our  teacher  has  discovered  a  few  that 
you  had  not  found  out.  It  will  hardly  be  necessary 
for  him  to  fit  out  that  expedition  to  Asia  or  Africa 
to  enable  him  to  redeem  his  promise  to  us." 

"  Well,  now,  George,  don't  say  anything  more  on 
that  subject.  I  was  wrong,  and  talked  like  a  dunce. 
I  ought  to  have  known  that  Mr.  Willard  would  not 
trifle  with  us,  and  I'm  sure  you  do  not  respect  and 
love  him  more  than  I  do." 

"  I  believe  that  is  true,  Tim,  and  I  did  not  mean 
to  censure  you.  I  know  that  you've  as  warm  a 
heart  as  any  boy  in  school,  but  you  are  often  too 
hasty  in  your  conclusions." 

"  That's  so,  George,  and  I  never  was  more  aware 
of  it  than  I  am  now,  and  I  will  try  and  overcome  it. 
Dear  me !  I  wish  I  could  think  before  I  speak,  but 
somehow  the  words  come  right  out  before  I  have 
time  to  think.  But,  I  say,  what  can  Mr.  Willard 
have  to  show  us  to-day  ?  I'm  quite  sure  that  he  can 


GEEAT   WONDERS    IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    107 

have  nothing  so  wonderful  as  what  we've  already 
seen." 

"  I  see,  Tim,  you're  improving  fast  in  forming 
opinions.  But  perhaps  your  resolution  has  not  had 
time  to  get  settled.  You  were  quite  sure  Mr.  Wil- 
lard  couldn't  find  anything  about  these  parts  which 
you  did  not  know,  in  which  opinion  you  were 
slightly  mistaken,  and  now  you  are  'quite  sure'  he 
has  nothing  else  wonderful  to  exhibit,  in  which  con- 
clusion it  is  more  than  probable  you'll  be  equally 
mistaken." 

"Oh,  George,  you're  too  bad  to  pick  a  fellow  up 
so.  I  didn't  mean  just  what  I  said." 

"  Then,  Tim,  you  should  not  have  said  it.  That 
is  just  the  habit  you  ought  to  correct.  But,  come, 
let  us  hurry ;  there's  the  last  bell  ringing." 

And  away  these  young  friends  hurried,  for  warm 
friends  they  were,  notwithstanding  their  difference 
of  character. 

Mr.  Willard  was  exceedingly  gratified  with  the 
moral  effect  of  his  experiment  on  his  school.  There 
was  an  evident  improvement  in  deportment  and 
attention.  Some  of  his  pupils  began  to  realize  that 
there  is  a  pleasure  in  knowledge  which  more  than 
repays  the  efforts  necessary  to  obtain  it,  that  even 
those  efforts  ceased  to  be  a  task,  and  became  them- 
selves a  precious  part  of  the  seeker's  reward. 


108     GREAT   WONDERS   IN    LITTLE   THINGS. 

"  I  suppose,"  said  Mr.  Willard,  when,  on  the  fol- 
lowing afternoon,  he  adjusted  his  instrument  to 
resume  his  interesting  exhibition  and  lecture,  "  most 
of  you  would  have  been  heartily  satisfied  with  a 
half  day's  gazing  at  the  few  animals  contained  in 
the  show  which  has  just  left  our  town,  so  that,  had 
it  remained,  few  of  you  would  have  cared  to  repeat 
your  visitation.  But  it  is  with  great  gratification 
that  I  perceive  by  your  presence  and  interested 
manifestations  that  you  are  not  wearied  with  the 
interviews  we  have  had  together,  and  are  anxious 
for  their  continuance.  Perhaps,  before  we  get  half- 
way through  with  these  objects  which  I  am  desirous 
to  present,  your  patience  may  become  exhausted,  but 
I  hope  otherwise,  and  shall  do  my  best  to  prevent 
any  flagging  in  the  interest  excited.  Our  stores  yet 
in  reserve  are  rich  with  interest,  and  will  last  for 
many  days  to  come,  as  you  may  readily  understand 
from  the  number  of  objects  you  have  doubtless  ob- 
served in  the  water  drops  already  exhibited  which 
have  not  been  referred  to.  To  some  of  them  I  shall 
now  direct  your  attention.  In  doing  this,  it  is  proper 
that  we  retrace  our  steps  and  begin  a  little  lower 
down  in  the  order  of  progression. 

"  Wishing  to  divert  your  attention  from  what  I 
considered  an  improper  gratification,  and  create  a 
deep  interest  in  the  objects  which  I  proposed  to  sub- 


GREAT    WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    109 

stitute  for  the  forbidden  ones,  I  have  presented  you 
with  some  of  the  more  striking  forms  of  existence 
in  the  world  of  animalcules.  We  are  cooler  now, 
and  can  examine  our  subjects  with  more  deliberation. 
We  will,  therefore,  resume  our  investigations  with 
some  of  the  less  striking  objects  found  in  our  collec- 
tion, only  the  less  attractive  from  their  lacking  some 
of  the  brilliancy  of  form  and  color  which  we  have 
seen  possessed  by  others.  Remember,  that  which  is 
most  showy  is  not  always  most  valuable. 

"  First,  let  us  notice  those  bright  green  little  ob- 
jects which  we  find  under  our  glasses.  They  were 
obtained  by  George  Snow,  being  the  green  and  red- 
dish scum  which  he  took  from  the  surface  of  the  stag- 
nant pond,  and  are  called  Euglena.  (Plate  IV.,  Figs. 
6-10.)  There  are  several  varieties  of  these  little 
animals,  if  such  they  are,  in  size  about  the  two  hun- 
dred and  fiftieth  part  of  an  inch.  They  are  first  of  a 
bright  green  color,  and  exist  in  such  vast  quantities 
as  to  cover  large  surfaces  with  a  thick  scum.  Most 
of  the  species  have  what  is  supposed  to  be  a  bright 
red  eye-spot,  from  which  they  derive  their  name. 
With  a  high  power  a  long  filament  like  a  whip  lash 
is  discovered  at  the  head,  which  is  in  constant  mo- 
tion, swaying  about  in  all  directions,  but  not  seem- 
ingly for  the  purposes  of  locomotion.  While  its 
general  shape  is  a  sharpish  oval,  it  assumes  a  great 

10 


110     GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

variety  of  forms,  round,  flat,  circular,  or  twisted, 
being  hardly  a  minute  at  a  time  in  any  one  of  these 
shapes.  It  is  amusing  to  watch  them  as  they  dart 
here  and  there,  tumbling,  revolving,  dancing,  or  see- 
sawing through  the  water. 

"  Of  the  manner  of  propagation  and  habits  of  the 
Euglena  little  is  known  with  any  certainty,  the 
closest  observers  widely  differing  in  their  conclu- 
sions. 

"  It  is  noticed  that  the  scum,  which  is  composed 
mainly  of  these  creatures  and  the  Astasia,  which  we 
shall  soon  inspect,  at  times  passes  from  its  bright 
green  to  a  brownish  or  blood-red  color.  Some  have 
supposed  that  this  is  owing  to  the  great  enlargement 
of  the  red  eye-spot,  while  others  regard  it  as  pro- 
duced by  the  entire  change  of  color  in  the  animal, 
or  the  prevalence  of  one  of  the  species  called  Euglena 
sanguinea  (Figs.  6,  7)  from  their  bloody  appearance. 
Be  this  as  it  may,  the  fact  is  well  known,  and  has 
been  the  occasion  of  some  alarm  to  the  ignorant,  of 
which  fact  we  shall  take  particular  notice  in  looking 
at  another  object,  more  intimately  connected,  as  is  now 
known,  with  this  phenomenon.  Had  our  '  wonder- 
ful optics'  been  known,  a  few  of  the  superstitions  of 
the  world  would  have  sooner  passed  away. 

"The  Astasia  (Plate  IV.,  Figs.  1-5)  differ  but 
little  from  the  last  named,  and  are  generally  con- 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    Ill 

sidered  as  belonging  to  it.  They  exist  in  vast  ac- 
cumulations on  the  surfaces  of  stagnant  ponds  and 
swamp  meadows.  Upon  a  careful  examination  of 
these  accumulations,  they  are  found  to  consist  of  a 
dense  mass  of  little  green  atoms  full  of  life  and 
motion.  Like  the  Euglena,  they  are  constantly 
changing  their  forms — now  a  tailless  fish,  a  rolling 
pin,  a  cup  or  ball,  a  flying  dragon,  or  a  shooting 
star.  Often  they  are  seen  in  a  twist  like  an  auger 
(Fig.  4),  and  go  through  the  water  with  a  motion 
corresponding  to  that  of  boring  with  this  tool. 

"They  are  said  to  multiply  by  eggs  and  subdivi- 
sions, and  it  must  be  with  astonishing  rapidity,  when 
we  remember  how  soon  they  cover  large  surfaces 
after  they  have  once  made  their  appearance.  Some- 
times a  single  week  will  stretch  out  acres  of  this 
green  covering  over  the  water.  Wonderful  little 
creature !  In  every  foot  of  that  green  or  red  scum 
there  are  more  of  these  busy  creatures  than  there 
are  inhabitants  on  the  globe. 

"For  what  purpose  these  billions  of  atomic  life 
are  created  we  may  not  fully  understand.  They  are 
generally  regarded  with  apprehension  as  breeders  of 
contagion  and  death,  but  if  the  truth  was  clearly 
known,  we  should  probably  change  our  verdict. 
Like  snails  and  tadpoles,  they  may  be,  and  doubt- 
less are,  Nature's  scavengers,  to  purify  the  swelter- 


112     GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

ing  mass  of  decaying  vegetable  matter,  by  devouring 
the  miasmic  poisons,  and  to  send  forth  to  the  atmo- 
sphere a  healthy  element.  Believing  this  to  be  true, 
let  us  look  at  them 

'  Loving,  not  loathingly.* 

"In  these  drops  of  water  which  we  now  have 
under  our  instruments,  you  have  noticed  a  vast  num- 
ber of  minute  objects  twisting  and  turning  in  every 
possible  shape.  They  are  among  the  most  minute 
forms  which  the  microscopist  has  to  examine,  and 
their  place  in  the  scale  is  not  yet  exactly  fixed, 
whether  animal  or  algae.  Finding  them  in  connec- 
tion with  the  little  creatures  which  we  have  just  been 
considering,  we  will  not  cause  them  to  quit  com- 
pany. 

"  They  seem  at  first  sight  but  mere  attenuated, 
motionless  threads,  but  when  carefully  observed  the 
movements  already  noticed  are  easily  perceptible. 
Cut  off  a  short  piece  of  spiral  silver  wire,  and  you 
will  have  the  exact  form  of  some  of  these  little 
creatures  ;  others  seem  to  be  pinked,  after  the  fashion 
of  trimming  a  lady's  dress,  or  to  be  like  a  little  bun- 
dle of  filaments  bound  together  by  a  band  near  the 
centre.  When  under  the  power  of  a  large  micro- 
scope, each  hair  is  found  to  be  a  more  minute  bundle 
or  cluster  of  animals.  And  it  is  most  likely,  if  we 


GREAT   WONDERS    IN    LITTLE   THINGS.    113 


could  apply  a  still  higher  power,  these  last  would  be 

discovered   as   compound   also.     They   are    mostly 

colorless    or   slightly 

tinged    with    yellow, 

except     one    species, 

strung   together    like 

a    string     of    beads, 

which  is  always  of  a 

green  shade. 

"  Like  the  entire  race 
of  animalcules,  they 
must  multiply  with  an  enormous  rapidity,  as  oftentimes 
ditches  and  ponds  are  found  to  have  a  bottom  cov- 
ered several  inches  thick  with  their  remains.  Their 
manner  of  reproduction  is  by  the  breaking  up  of  the 
joints  of  the  creatures  into  short  sections.  They 
almost  invariably  are  the  first  to  make  their  appear- 
ance in  all  forms  of  decomposition. 

"These  little  objects  are  certainly  not  the  most 
attractive  to  the  eye,  but  when  we  consider  their 
number,  minuteness,  and  curious  motions,  they  are 
well  worthy  of  our  careful  study.  But  as  we  have 
so  many  other  things  of  equal  interest  awaiting  our 
attention,  we  must  take  leave  of  these  humble  dwell- 
ers in  the  microscopic  world. " 
10*  H 


olgps  Jtnir  j3c!j)5c;r. 


115 


PLATE    V. 


MARINE  POLYPS  AND  POLYZOA. 

FIGURES 

1-5.  Polycystina  from  mid-ocean. 

6.  A  Spine  of  the  Synapta. 

7.  A  curious  portion  of  a  Star-fish. 

8.  Snake-headed  Coralline. 
9, 10.  Sponge  Spicula. 

11.  Hartea  elegans. 

12.  Spirorbis  nautiloides. 

13.  Gamellaria  loricata. 

14.  Salpingia  Hassalii. 

15.  Serpula. 

16.  Tubularia  Dumortieril. 

17.  Coryne  stauriaia. 

18.  Notamia  bursaria. 

19.  Actinia  bellis. 
116 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

POLYPS  AND  POLYZOA. 

"  TN  almost  all  fresh -water  ponds  there  will  be 
-L  found  at  the  bottom  very  singular  minute  gela- 
tinous atoms,  which,  if  watched  closely,  are  seen  to 
move  slowly  about  and  constantly  to  change  their 
forms.  We  have  some  of  them  now  under  our 
glasses,  although  they  have  not  attracted  your  atten- 
tion, perhaps.  If  any  have  done  so,  I  shall  be 
pleased  to  have  you  mention  it/' 

"  Oh,  Mr.  Willard,"  said  Sidney  Marvin,  "  I've 
been  watching  something  here  under  my  glass  which 
was  just  like  that  when  I  first  noticed  it,  but  it  has 
been  pushing  out  great  long  arms  in  every  direc- 
tion, and  then  drawing  them  back  again.  It  is  all 
full  of  little  black  specks  that  run  into  these  arms 
when  they  go  out." 

"  Well  done,  Sidney  I"  replied  Mr.  Willard ;  "  you 
have  certainly  hit  on  the  right  one  this  time,  and  a 
curious  subject  he  is.  He  has  been  named  the  Pro- 
teus— a  title  given  to  one  of  the  heathen  gods  who 

117 


118     GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE  THINGS. 

was  thought  capable  of  changing  his  form  and  nature 
at  will. 


Proteus. 

"  It  is  strange  that  such  a  shapeless,  unorganized 
mass  of  jelly  should  be  possessed  of  any  life,  much 
less  manifest  the  existence  of  marked  instinct,  but 
such  is  the  fact — an  endowment  which  it  seems  deter- 
mined to  maintain.  You  can  see  it  pushing  out  its 
feelers  in  all  directions,  securing  its  food,  which  it 
does  sometimes  by  wrapping  itself  around  the  object, 
if  too  large  to  be  gorged,  rather  than  let  it  escape. 
The  substance  to  be  appropriated  for  food  may  be 
many  times  larger  than  the  animal  himself,  but  it  is 
in  no  wise  discouraged  by  this  circumstance.  It  at 
once  commences  the  process  of  wrapping  its  gela- 
tinous membrane  around  its  victim,  as  a  grocery- 
man  would  wrap  up  a  parcel  for  a  customer.  This, 
after  a  while,  is  wholly  absorbed  into  the  substance 
of  the  Proteus,  showing  that  this  globule  of  jelly  has 
wonderful  powers  of  digestion.  When  it  has  a  crav- 
ing for  anything  not  fully  within  its  reach,  it  makes 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    119 

a  long  arm  and  grasps  the  treasure.  While  I  have 
been  talking,  the  specimen  under  my  eye  has  as- 
sumed three  very  different  shapes.  In  the  first  form 
he  had  but  one  arm  and  two  or  three  short  protuber- 
ances ;  in  the  second,  six  long  feelers  were  pushed 
out,  with  a  head  like  a  turtle ;  and  finally,  he  has 
four  strong  arms  engaged  in  foraging.  And  thus  he 
will  keep  moving  indefinitely. 

"  If  you  do  not  wish  the  trouble  of  scraping  the 
bottom  of  some  muddy  pond  to  secure  a  specimen  of 
this  anomalous  creature,  you  have  only  to  take  a 
piece  of  fresh  meat  and  immerse  it  in  a  tumbler  of 
rain  water  for  a  couple  of  weeks,  and  you  will  then 
find  at  the  bottom  of  your  vessel  a  flourishing  colony 
pushing  out  their  arms  and  feelers  promiscuously  for 
your  investigation ;  and,  unorganized  as  it  is,  it 
most  worthily  challenges  your  careful  inspection — a 
creature  that  walks  without  legs ;  handles,  yet  pos- 
sessing neither  arms  nor  hands ;  navigates  without 
oars  or  fins;  eats  without  teeth  or  stomach,  and 
digests  its  food  equally  well  whether  taken  internally 
or  by  wrapping  itself  around  it ;  in  short,  perform- 
ing most  of  the  functions  of  animal  life  without 
being  possessed  of  one  of  its  perfect  organs.  It  is  a 
paradoxical  mass  of  gelatin,  shapeless,  yet  assuming 
all  shapes — a  lump  or  a  wave,  a  star  or  a  disc,  flat 
or  globular,  round  or  square,  triangular  or  oblong. 


120     GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

Its  appearance  is  disgusting,  yet  confounding  the 
wondering  imagination  ;  the  most  insignificant  life 
of  all  creation,  yet  one  of  the  greatest  marvels  it 
reveals. 

"  Akin  to  this  is  the  Difflugia  (Plate  IV.,  Fig.  11), 
the  principal  difference  being  that  this  last  has  an 
egg-shaped  shell,  out  of  which  its  arms  are  protruded. 
They  are  quite  numerous  and  of  different  colors, 
owing  probably  to  a  parasitic  growth,  which  often 
covers  the  whole  shell  of  the  animal. 

"The  family  of  Polyps  or  Hydras  will  now  claim 
our  attention,  and  a  most  interesting  study  we  shall 
find  them,  as  they  present  to  the  eye  some  remark- 
able forms  and  colors.  Sometimes  they  appear  like 
a  ' green  palm  tree'  with  golden-tipped  branches, 
and  anon  change  into  a  brilliant  star  as  they  sud- 
denly contract  their  bodies.  Now  they  are  like  the 
tesselated  appendage  on  the  turban  of  a  Turkish 
pasha,  or  the  blazing  fuse  on  a  grenadier's  cap. 
They  open  and  shut  like  a  sensitive  flower,  coil  their 
long  tentacles  around  their  prey,  or  hang  pendent, 
waving  like  silken  threads. 

"  Observe  those  long  clusters  of  thread-like  ap- 
pendages (Plate  IV.,  Figs.  19  and  20)  looking  like 
a  minute  cat-o'-nine  tails — an  instrument  which  many 
a  poor  sailor  boy  has  learned  to  dread.  They  would 
seem  at  first  sight  to  be  mere  fibres  of  conferva,  but 


GIIEAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    121 

Oufew  moments'  watching  will  show  those  tentacles  sud- 
denly contracting,  as  some  victim  comes  within  their 
sweep,  and  a  fatal  snare  he  will  find  them.  Like  the 
arms  of  the  cuttle-fish,  they  are  wrapped  around  the 
object  so  closely  that  there  is  no  escape,  and  are  strong 
enough  to  hold  worms  and  insects  many  times  larger 
than  the  little  Polyp  who  owns  them.  But  this  is 
not  all  of  their  fatality,  as  they  are  armed  with  a 
number  of  sharp  stings  which  penetrate  the  hapless 
victim,  infusing,  as  is  supposed,  a  deadly  poison  in 
the  wounds  which  they  have  made,  or,  as  others  be- 
lieve, like  the  electrical  eel  or  torpedo,  destroying 
their  prey  with  violent  electrical  shocks.  It  is  only 
by  some  such  method  that  the  speedy  death  of  the 
victim  can  be  accounted  for.  Be  this  as  it  may,  the 
struggle  is  soon  over,  and  the  Hydra  enjoys  his  meal 
at  his  leisure. 

"  Here  is  a  little  cluster  of  Lemna,  pendent  to 
whose  roots  can  barely  be  perceived 
some    bright    green     little    star- 
shaped    objects.     Let    us    detach 
some  of  the  mass  and  put  it  under 
our  instruments.     Thus  arranged, 
we  can  at  first  see  only  three  or 
four    roundish  green  objects,    but    Lemna  with  Polyps. 
wait  a  few  moments,  and  we  shall  be  rewarded  by 
seeing  the  Polyp  stretch  himself  when  he  has  re- 
n 


122     GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE  THINGS. 

covered  from  the  fright  we  gave  him.  There  he  comes, 
slowly,  as  if  yet  apprehensive  offlanger — larger  and 
larger.  There !  we  have  the  perfect  palm  tree,  or 
rather  the  perfect  Hydra  vulgaris  (Plate  IV.,  Figs. 
12,  13),  with  the  embryo  of  his  race  growing  from 
the  side  of  the  parent.  These  youngsters  will  soon 
push  out  their  long  arms,  and  when  thus  able  to 
take  care  of  themselves  will  sever  their  connection 
with  the  parental  stalk  and  set  up  for  themselves. 
This  is  the  more  common  species  found  in  our  fresh- 
water ponds  and  streams,  especially  where  Lemna 
or  'duck  weed'  is  found  growing. 

"  The  Polyp,  in  taking  its  food,  is  like  the  Proteus ; 
it  matters  not  whether  it  is  swallowed  or  wrapped  up 
in  a  fold  of  its  tentacles,  it  is  just  as  easily  digested; 
nor  does  it  matter,  indeed,  whether  the  creature  is 
inside  out  or  not:  it  is  all  the  same.  He  does  not, 
like  some  of  us,  mind  being  cut  up.  Sever  him  into 
as  many  pieces  as  you  like,  each  fragment  remedies 
the  damage  by  putting  out  a  new  head  and  tail,  and 
going  to  work  as  usual,  as  much  as  to  say,  *  Try  it 
again!'  If  you  sever  him  lengthwise,  the  two 
halves  close  up,  and  just  as  readily  repair  the  injury. 
But  stranger  still,  you  can  cut  off  the  heads  from 
ten  individuals  and  exchange  them,  and  the  subjects 
of  the  operation  do  not  seem  to  mind  it  at  all ;  each 
takes  his  neighbor's  head  and  grows  to  it.  I  think 


GREAT    WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    123 

this  feat  rather  surpasses  anything  exhibited  in  the 
great  menagerie,  and  although  we  have  not  the  time 
to  verify  it  now,  you  can  see  it  done  when  you  have 
learned  the  use  of  the  instruments  sufficiently,  and 
can  give  it  the  necessary  attention.  This  animal's 
life,  therefore,  is  almost  proof  against  everything  but 
heat  and  acids. 

"The  Polyzoa  are  near  relations  to  the  Polyps, 
but  having  their  houses  in  a  shell  or  calcareous 
covering,  they  are  placed  among  the  molluscs. 

"Of  this  family  there  are  but  a  few  species  found 
in  fresh  water,  but  these  are  of  the  most  interesting 
character,  from  their  bright  colors  and  graceful 
movements  through  the  water.  Their  beautiful  dis-. 
play  of  feathery  tentacles  arranged  in  a  semi-circle 
will  also  attract  marked  admiration.  From  the 
peculiar  shape  of  this  last-named  appendage,  they 
are  classified  as  Hippocrepia,  or  horseshoe-like. 

"Of  this  class  one  is  called  the  Cristatella  mucedo. 
(Plate  IV.,  Fig.  17.)  It  is  not  often  met  with,  but 
I  am  fortunate  in  having  found  a  source  of  supply 
during  all  the  summer,  and  not  being  sure  that  you 
had  made  any  captures  in  your  expedition,  I  have 
brought  some,  which  I  will  now  put  under  our 
glasses. 

"  There  he  is,  a  most  exquisite  little  fellow,  mov- 
ing gently  just  under  the  surface  of  the  water.  His 


124     GREAT  WONDERS   IN   LITTLE  THINGS. 

crown  of  graceful  plumes  is  waving  in  the  light, 
making  a  picture  which  we  may  well  gaze  at  with 
admiration.  Its  principal  food  seems  to  be  the  des- 
mids  and  algse  floating  around  it.  It  is  always  re- 
garded as  a  most  exquisite  specimen  of  minute  life, 
and  will  repay  a  careful  searching  after. 

"  The  eggs  of  this  little  creature  are  scarcely  less 
beautiful  than  itself.  (Plate  IV.,  Figs.  15,  16.) 
They  are  not  larger  than  a  small  pin-head,  of  a  dark 
red  color,  and  have  a  peculiar  fringe  of  hook-pointed 
spines  around  the  edges.  They  can  be  found  by 
very  careful  searching  with  the  instrument  among 
the  masses  of  algse  from  which  the  parent  is  taken. 

"  The  Lophopus  crystallinus  (Plate  IV.,  Fig.  18) 
has  much  of  the  appearance  of  the  last  named,  ex- 
cept that  it  is  double,  and  therefore  presents  a  more 
gorgeous  object  to  the  eye.  Its  crests  of  graceful 
plumes  are  arranged  in  double  horseshoe  shape,  two 
of  which  are  fully  expanded,  the  smaller  enclosed 
ones  being  the  buddings  for  a  new  generation,  by 
which  it  multiplies  as  well  as  by  eggs. 

"The  last  of  these  splendid  objects  which  we  can 
examine  is  the  Plumatella  repens.  (Plate  IV.,  Fig. 
14.)  It  is  more  common  than  the  two  just  named, 
though  from  its  generally  choosing  the  under  side  of 
some  aquatic  plant,  it  escapes  observation  unless 
carefully  sought  after.  It  is  seldom  or  never  found 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    125 

detached  and  moving  through  the  water,  and  is  very 
timid,  withdrawing  into  its  cell  on  the  least  dis- 
turbance. 

"  With  these  beautiful  objects  before  the  mind, 
and  the  sublime  thoughts  which  they  are  so  well  cal- 
culated to  awaken,  let  us  close  our  third  day's  ex- 
hibition. But  as  our  catalogue  of  curiosities  is  not 
nearly  exhausted,  it  is  proper  for  me  to  ascertain 
whether  your  interest  in  the  study  has  so  far  dimin- 
ished as  to  cause  you  to  wish  that  it  should  conclude 
here ;  and  I  know  of  no  better  way  to  determine  this 
than  to  bring  it  to  a  vote.  I  will  most  cheerfully 
abide  by  your  decision,  whatever  it  may  be,  and  as  I 
particularly  desire  that  it  should  be  a  frank  expres- 
sion of  your  real  sentiments,  I  shall  pause  a  while 
to  give  you  time  for  reflection  while  I  am  putting  up 
the  instruments.  Make  up  your  minds,  and  then  you 
can  vote  just  as  you  feel  without  fear  of  offending 
me,  although  you  may  indicate  thereby  my  failure 
to  interest  you  as  I  have  intended.  Should  any 
thus  indicate  their  disappointment,  I  shall  most 
cheerfully  excuse  them  from  further  attendance  at 
these  examinations. 

"  Well,  are  you  all  ready  ?  All  those  who  truly 
desire  me  to  continue  these  microscopic  examina- 
tions will  hold  up  their  hands/' 

The  hands  all  went  up  with  a  will. 
11* 


126     GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

"  That  will  do,  and  I  am  very  much  gratified  to 
notice  that  every  hand  went  up  as  though  you  meant 
it.  I  need  not  assure  you  that  I  will  do  the  best  I 
can  to  repay  your  confidence. 

"  And  now,  a  word  or  two  before  you  are  dismissed. 
We  shall  have  an  intermission  of  three  or  four  days, 
during  which  I  expect  to  visit  the  seashore,  where 
there  can  always  be  found  objects  of  the  rarest  in- 
terest to  the  microscopist,  especially  in  the  depart- 
ment which  we  have  just  been  examining.  I  shall 
improve  the  opportunity  to  make  the  best  collection 
I  possibly  can,  and  on  the  first  afternoon  after  I 
return  you  shall  see  the  results. 

"  These  beautiful  objects  will  teach  us  that  God  in 
all  parts  of  creation  has  scattered  such  specimens  of 
his  handiwork  as  to  leave  no  doubt  of  his  omnipres- 
ence. Go  where  we  may,  he  is  all  around  us,  not 
only  in  the  grandeur  of  the  mountains  or  dark  heav- 
ings  of  the  ocean,  and  in  the  visible  things  of  crea- 
tion, but  also  in  the  dust  of  the  desert  and  slime  of 
the  bog,  when  penetrated  by  the  wonderful  instruments 
we  are  using.  Gems  of  form,  brilliant  penciling  of 
color,  and  marvelous  conditions  of  life  startle  us  by 
their  presence.  Wondering  and  awed,  we  can  but 
exclaim  like  Jacob  at  Bethel :  '  Surely  the  Lord  is 
in  this  place,  and  I  knew  it  not  P  You  may  ask, 
Why  were  these  things  thus  created  and  hidden  away 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    127 

from  our  common  inspection  ?  I  can  only  reply  that 
so  it  pleased  God.  It  may  be  for  the  purpose — and 
the  thought  is  a  sublime  one — of  putting  the  seal 
of  his  infinity  wherever  the  eye,  aided  or  unaided, 
could  pry  into  his  works.  God  is  in  all,  and  through 
all,  and  in  you  all." 


£**• 

129 


CHAPTER    IX. 

MINUTE   WONDERS  OF  THE  SEA. 


were  few  of  the  delighted  youth  who 
wended  their  way  home  that  afternoon  but 
coveted  the  privilege  of  accompanying  their  beloved 
teacher  to  the  seashore.  Living  so  near  it,  most  of 
them  had  visited  it  often,  and  had  spent  many  happy 
hours  roaming  along  the  beach,  picking  up  shells 
and  turning  over  jelly  fish,  but  a  day  or  two  at 
Brigantine,  in  company  with  Mr.  Willard,  would  be 
a  treat  indeed.  If  he  could  find  such  wonderful  and 
beautiful  things  in  muddy  ditches  and  slimy  ponds, 
what  marvels  would  he  not  search  out  on  the  shores 
of  the  grea^  ocean  ?  Many  a  parent  was  solicited 
for  such  a  favor,  as  Mr.  Willard  had  expressed  his 
willingness  to  take  in  charge  any  of  his  pupils  who 
could  obtain  permission  to  go  with  him.  Alf  Green, 
Willie  Hunt,  and  Nettie  Newton  were  so  happy  as  to 
obtain  this  gratification. 

Their  outfit  was  much  the  same  as  that  used  by 
the  children  in  their  grand  expedition,  with  the 

131 


132     GREAT    WONDERS   IN    LITTLE   THINGS. 

addition  of  one  of  the  microscopes  and  a  small 
single  lens  for  examining  the  larger  objects  on  the 
shore. 

It  was  a  happy  time  for  the  three  favored  children, 
especially  for  the  sharp  and  inquisitive  little  Nettie. 
She  cared  but  little  for  dress  or  the  gay  company 
which  she  met  at  the  watering-place,  and  even  the 
grand  old  ocean  did  not  exert  its  usual  spell  over 
her  imagination.  She  was  impatient  to  pry  into  its 
secrets.  Her  feminine  curiosity  had  been  excited, 
and  she  could  hardly  wait  until  Mr.  Willard  ar- 
ranged for  their  stay  at  the  hotel,  so  impatient  was 
she  to  get  to  the  shore  for  a  ramble,  and  to  hunt  for 
its  rich  treasures.  The  two  boys  were  scarcely  less 
enthusiastic.  Nor  was  their  friend  and  teacher  an- 
noyed by  their  impatience,  which  he  did  not  put  to 
a  too  severe  trial.  Taking  his  requisites,  they  all 
repaired  to  the  beach  and  began  their  researches. 
It  was  wonderful,  with  their  quickened  senses,  how 
many  things  they  observed  that  had  never  before 
attracted  their  attention.  A  few  large  shells,  a 
king  crab,  broken  star  fish,  or  a  stranded  jelly  fish 
had  usually  been  the  sum  of  wonders  which  they 
had  found.  But  their  eyes  were  sharper  now,  and, 
without  the  aid  of  the  smaller  instrument,  they  were 
not  long  in  making  some  rare  discoveries.  Nettie 
was  the  first  to  arrest  attention  : 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE  THINGS.    133 

"  Oh,  Mr.  Willard,  I've  found  a  tiny  little  bead  ; 
some  lady  must  have  lost  it  here,  and  perhaps  we 
can  find  some  more." 

Mr.  Willard  put  it  under  his  small  glass  for  a 
moment,  and  then  handed  them  both  to  Nettie,  who 
gave  but  a  single  look,  when  she  fairly  jumped  with 
raptures. 

"Oh,  isn't  it  beautiful!  It's  all  over  speckled, 
and  there's  a  hole  clear  through  it.  It  is  a  bead, 
isn't  it,  Mr.  Willard?" 

"  Well,  Nettie,"  replied  the  teacher,  u  it  does  very 
much  resemble  a  bead,  but  beads  do  not  often  live, 
and  this  one  was  full  of 
life  once.  This  is  the 
broken  shell  of  an  Echi- 
nus. There  are  many 
of  these  beautiful  crea- 
tures now  living  in  the 
sea  and  along  its  shores, 
but  a  far  greater  number  ^'f us  «**  Spines  remwed' 
are  found  in  a  fossil  state.  They  are  orange-shaped, 
and  when  alive  they  are  covered  over  with  long  and 
curiously-jointed  spines.  These  arms  are  fitted  in  a 
socket-joint,  and  can  turn  in  any  direction.  With 
these  spines  the  animal  works  himself  into  his  bur- 
row in  the  sand  and  captures  his  prey.  As  the 
fossil  state  would  indicate,  this  creature  was  well 
12 


134     GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

known  centuries  ago,  being  called  by  the  ancients 
the  '  Lantern  of  Aristotle/  " 


Living  Echinus. 

Hardly  had  Mr.  Willard  finished  describing  Net- 
tie's prize,  when  Willie  Hunt  discovered  in  a  little 
heap  of  decaying  seaweed  an  object  which  arrested 
his  attention,  and  he  cried  out  lustily : 

"Oh,  come  here,  all!  I've  found  the  prettiest 
thing !  It's  a  little  bit  of  a  ball,  with  five  mighty 
long  arms." 

"A  Daisy  Brittle  Star,"  said  Mr.  Willard  after  a 
moment's  examination,  "  and  a  very  beautiful  speci- 
men too.  Look  at  him  through  this  glass,  and  you 
will  then  discover  that  those  long  tentacles  are  made 
up  of  short  joints  with  little  pin-holes  between  them, 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    135 


through  which  the  animal  protrudes  a  multitude  of 

sucker-shaped  feet,  which 

by  count  amount  to  more 

than  five  thousand.  With 

these  sure  members  it  can 

glide    over    the    smooth 

surfaces  of  perpendicular 

rocks    and    creep    along 

the  soft  bed  of  the  ocean. 

mi  .          T  ,.«  i  Daisy  Star. 

Ihis     beautiful    process 

you  can  only  see  by  placing  your  little  captive  in  a 
glass  vessel,  where  he  will  soon  expand  his  long  arms 
and  go  feeling  about. 

"Perhaps   the   most   beautiful    member    of  this 
family  of  stars  is  the  Rosy-feather  Star.    In  this  grace- 


jRosy-feather  Star. 


136     GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

ful  creature  the  arms  are  increased  to  ten,  with  the 
feathery  edges  much  prolonged,  giving  them  a  beau- 
tiful plume-like  appearance.  These  sea  stars  often 
have  a  rich  red  or  pinkish  color,  which  adds  very 
much  to  the  interest  of  their  examination.  They 
can  almost  always  be  found  in  the  little  basins  of 
water  left  when  the  tide  goes  out,  from  which  they 
manifest  but  little  disposition  to  escape.  From  these 
hiding-places  we  must  capture  some  to  exhibit  to  the 
school  when  we  return,  for  it  is  one  of  the  most 
pleasing  circumstances  of  our  accumulation  of  know- 
ledge that  our  own  enjoyment  is  greatly  enhanced  by 
communicating  our  riches  to  others.  Besides  this, 
which  may  be  regarded  as  a  selfish  motive,  know- 
ledge always  brings  a  responsibility — an  obligation 
to  instruct  others. 

"But  I  notice  that  friend  Alf  has  found  some- 
thing that  seems  to  attract  his  attention.  What  is" 
it,  my  boy  ?" 

"  I  can't  say,  teacher,  but  it  looks  something  like 
those  green  Polyps  which  you  showed  us  in  your  last 
lecture." 

"Yes,  you  are  quite  right;  it  is  a  marine  Hydra, 
but  much  larger  and  of  a  brownish  orange  color.  Its 
tentacles  are  longer,  and  are  formed  much  like  the 
branches  of  the  sea  stars.  The  body,  like  the  fresh- 
water Polyp,  is  very  flexible,  and  is  drawn  up  and 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    137 

expanded  at  the  will  of  the  animal.  There  are 
many  varieties  and  sizes  found  in  the  sea,  being 
doubtless  connected  with  the  coral  family.  Like 
his  fresh-water  relative,  an  embrace  from  those  long 
arms  is  fatal  to  any  poor  victim  coming  within  their 
reach ;  it  will  be  securely  held,  and  its  life  sucked 
away. 


Marine  Hydra. 

"  But  look  at  this  magnificent  leaf-shaped  Sertularia 
or  Sickle  Coralline  which  I  have  captured  in  this 
bunch  of  algae. 

"  It  has  the  general  shape  of  a  leaf,  but  each  one 
of  these  little  branches  is  separate  from  the  rest, 

12* 


138     GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

and  is  strung  full  of  little  cup-shaped  brown  Polyps. 
It  is  a  rare  beauty.  And  mark  what  touchy  little 
fellows  those  Polyps  are :  shake  the  branch  ever  so 

little,  and  every  brown 
head  dodges  back  into 
its  cell  with  a  sudden 
jerk,  to  be  almost 
immediately  protruded 
again." 

Thus,  one  after  an- 
other, some  curious 
thing  was  found,  ex- 
amined, and  when  ca- 
pable of  being  pre- 

Sickle  Coralline.  . 

served,  treasured  up  for 

future  exhibition  to  the  school.  No  wonder  that  the 
three  days  passed  away  so  quickly  to  the  young  en- 
thusiasts, and  that  they  were  reluctant  to  leave  the 
scene  of  so  much  enjoyment.  But  then,  to  make 
amends  for  this  necessity,  they  had  a  rich  store  of 
rare  things  to  take  home,  and  a  whole  budget  of 
wonders  to  relate.  On  their  way  home  it  is  more 
than  probable  that  the  youthful  members  of  the 
party  felt  a  little  vain  of  their  new  accomplishments, 
with  a  lurking  intention  of  showing  off  their  superior 
wisdom  among  their  less  fortunate  school-fellows. 
But  when  they  were  once  more  among  the  familiar 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE  THINGS.    139 

group,  they  felt  so  happy  in  telling  of  their  trip 
that  all  pride  was  gone,  and  they  nobly  did  their 
best  to  make  their  mates  partake  as  much  as  possible 
of  their  pleasure. 

The  first  afternoon  after  Mr.  Willard's  return  was 
waited  for  with  great  expectation.  They  well  knew 
that  he  would  not  return  empty  handed,  but  the  en- 
thusiastic reports  of  his  young  attendants  had  whet- 
ted their  desires  to  the  utmost  sharpness.  When, 
therefore,  the  happy  hour  at  last  arrived,  the  teacher 
was  surrounded  by  an  anxious  band  craving  to  be- 
hold the  wonders  which  he  had  gathered  from  the 
shores  of  the  great  sea. 

After  the  cordial  greetings  had  been  exchanged, 
Mr.  Willard  lifted  a  large  wicker-basket  to  the 
table,  and  took  from  it  his  jars  and  boxes  containing 
his  specimens,  and  then  adjusting  his  instruments, 
he  said : 

"  Children,  I  am  happy  to  meet  you  again,  and  to 
exhibit  to  you  the  treasures  which  we  have  collected 
during  our  visit  to  the  seashore ;  and  I  am  sure,  if 
you  enjoy  this  inspection  with  half  the  satisfaction 
which  we  experienced  in  obtaining  them,  you  will 
have  no  occasion  to  regret  the  opportunity. 

"  The  microscopic  objects  of  the  sea  are  much 
more  numerous  than  those  of  the  land,  and  are  gen- 
erally of  a  more  striking  and  beautiful  character. 


140     GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

Of  these  thousands  of  unique  forms  we  can  examine 
but  a  few,  but  these  will  be  amply  sufficient  to  ex- 
cite our  highest  admiration.  Most  of  these  marine 
wonders  are  of  a  size  to  make  them  perceptible  to 
the  eye  when  carefully  sought  after,  but  their  sur- 
passing splendor  can  be  brought  out  only  by  the  aid 
of  the  microscope. 

"  We  have  already  had  our  astonishment  excited 
by  the  incomprehensible  myriads  of  animalcules 
swarming  in  ditches  and  ponds.  But  how  limited 
are  these  dwelling-places  of  minute  life  compared 
to  the  great  and  mighty  ocean  covering  more  than 
two-thirds  of  the  surface  of  our  globe !  As  you  had 
no  conception  of  the  crowded  life  of  a  drop  of  water 
taken  from  the  ditch  until  you  looked  at  it  through 
these  instruments,  so  you  have  no  doubt  supposed, 
as  you  looked  at  the  clear  blue  waters  of  the  ocean, 
that  all  its  broad  expanse  was  free  from  any  mix- 
ture save  the  scattered  members  of  the  finny  tribes. 
So  it  seems  to  the  unaided  vision,  but  a  look  into 
its  waters  through  our  wonderful  optics  reveals  the 
same  teeming  profusion  of  animal  existence  that  we 
have  found  elsewhere.  Not  only  along  its  shore  and 
in  shallow  waters,  but  through  its  broad  expanse,  we 
can  skim  them  from  its  surface,  dredge  them  from 
its  deepest  bottom,  with  seven  miles  of  waters  above 
them,  and  strain  them  out  everywhere — singly,  so 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    141 

minute  as  not  to  be  perceptible,  but  collectively 
giving  color  to  hundreds  of  miles  of  the  ocean's  sur- 
face, tinting  it  green  by  day  and  covering  its  billows 
with  coruscations  of  flame  at  night,  and,  withal, 
feeding  to  unequal  fatness  the  hugest  monsters  of 
the  deep !  Who  shall  say  to  the  Holy  One,  Thou 
shalt  not  go  beyond  this  greatness?  or,  This  is  so 
small  thou  canst  make  nothing  less  ? 

"All  climates  are  peopled  by  them.  They  are 
found  in  the  everlasting  ice  of  the  North,  or  the  ever- 
tepid  water  of  the  South.  Captain  Scoresby  found 
that  the  waters  all  along  the  coast  of  Greenland 
were  discolo'red  by  animalcules  so  minute  that  one 
hundred  and  fifty  millions  would  find  abundance  of 
room  in  a  tumbler  of  water.  It  was  the  green  pas- 
ture-ground of  whole  herds  of  whales,  who  fatten  on 
its  richness — God's  gracious  provision  ^for  a  region 
where  the  seal  of  eternal  ice  keeps  shut  the  door  of 
Nature's  other  storehouses. 

"  Through  the  long  night  of  months  in  that  lati- 
tude they  often  relieve  the  gloom  by  their  phosphor- 
escence, tipping  the  briefly  appearing  waters  with 
the  show  of  heat,  by  which,  perhaps,  the  poor  be- 
numbed sailor  may  in  imagination  gather  a  little 
warmth. 

"Mr.  Darwin  found  them  equally  as  numerous 
and  brilliant  while  sailing  near  the  mouth  of  the 


142     GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

river  La  Plata.  The  vessel,  he  says,  drove  before 
her  bows  two  billows  of  liquid  phosphorus.  In 
passing  down  the  Chesapeake  Bay  I  have  often  sat 
up  half  the  night  to  observe  the  same  beautiful 
phenomenon.  Mr.  Gosse  has  observed  this  brilliant 
exhibition  in  a  salt-water  aquarium  by  tapping  the 
glass  with  his  finger,  when  suddenly  there  would  be 
on  the  surface  minute  sparks  of  light.  This  he  dis- 
covered to  be  produced  by  the  tiny  Nodiluca  Mill- 
am.  They  were  very  delicate  and  colorless,  except 
when  shaken ;  then  they  emitted  their  light  as  they 

made  a  dive  toward  the 
^G^^k  bottom.  They  are  curious 
H&  little  bodies,  not  unlike 
\J5WS5^  tne  outline  of  a  cherry, 

floating  on  the  surface  of 

Noctiluca. 

the  water  like  the  Nau- 
tilus, anchored  by  a  little  filament  hanging  beneath 
the  water. 

"From  this  great  sea,  wherein  there  are  'both 
small  and  great  beasts'  innumerable,  we  can,  of 
course,  select  but  a  few  which  we  have  picked  up  on 
the  shore,  which  you  shall  now  inspect,  with  a  few 
other  forms  secured  by  other  hands  in  more  distant 
places,  which  I  have  procured  for  your  gratification. 

"And  first,  let  us  admire  these  elegant  Polycistina 
(Plate  V.,  Figs.  1-5)  obtained  by  Major  Owen  by 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    143 

dredging  the  surface  of  mid  ocean.  Beautiful  in 
form  and  color,  and  of  the  frailest  construction,  they 
rock  and  toss  on  the  stormiest  wave  in  perfect  safety 
where  the  proudest  structure  of  man  is  dashed  to 
pieces,  secure  in  their  very  frailty.  The  storm  may 
not  wreck  them  nor  the  ocean's  depths  be  their 
sepulchre  until  God's  purposes  are  served  by  their 
unobserved  existence. 

*  Full  many  a  gem  of  purest  ray  serene 
The  dark  unfathomed  caves  of  ocean  bear/ 

Are  ye  not  much  better  than  these  ?  He  who  pro- 
tects them  watches  especially  over  you.  Never 
think  of  God  as  seeking  occasions  to  inflict  some 
terrible  example  of  his  power  and  wrath  upon  you. 
With  more  than  a  parent's  love  and  solicitude  he 
makes  all  things  work  together  for  good  to  those 
who  love  him. 

"  Here  is  a  splendid  specimen  of  the  Hartea  ele- 
gans.  (Plate  V.,  Fig.  11.)  A  graceful  cylindrical 
column,  surmounted  by  a  rich  cluster  of  tossing 
plumes,  and  just  above  it  you  will  observe  a  curious 
half  of  an  egg  with  the  head  of  a  goose :  it  is  the 
spine  of  the  Synapta,  or  Sea  cucumber.  Just  at  the 
right  of  this  queer  object  is  the  elegant  portion  of 
a  sea  star.  At  the  right  of  this  last-named  speci- 
men we  have  the  Snake-head  Coralline.  They  are 


144     GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

ugly,  ghastly-looking  creatures,  with  their  heads 
waving  to  and  fro,  as  though  wishing  to  escape. 
When  more  largely  magnified,  the  snaky  resem- 
blance is  more  complete,  as  there  seems  to  dart  from 
his  mouth  a  number  of 
forked  tongues.  We  will 
let  him  pass,  and  look  at 

Head  of  Snake  Coralline. 

something  more  agreeable, 

and  here  it  is,  a  beauty — the  Spirorbis  (Plate  V., 
Fig.  12),  a  little  milky-white  shell,  out  of  which 
is  pushed  a  tuft  of  beautiful  pink-colored  plumes. 
It  is  quite  perceptible  to  the  natural  eye,  but  must 
be  under  a  low  power  at  least  to  appreciate  its  rich- 
ness. 

"  We  have  several  species  of  branching  polyps,  as 
Gamellaria,  Salpingia,  and  Notamia,  or  Shepherd's 
purse.  (Plate  V.,  Figs.  13,  14  and  18.)  All  these 
are  beautiful  and  plentiful,  but  we  must  pass  them 
by,  as  more  attractive  subjects  are  waiting  for  our 
inspection — the  Serpula  and  Tubularia.  (Figs.  15  and 
16.)  These  splendid  creatures  live  in  shells,  pro- 
truding therefrom  a  great  crown  of  feathers,  which 
wave  and  curl  with  most  attractive  gracefulness. 

"  The  delicate  flower-looking  object  is  the  Coryne 
(Plate  V.,  Fig.  17),  an  object  which  ever  holds  the 
eye  of  the  observer.  At  the  mouth  of  the  little  bud, 
attached  to  the  long  white  thread,  are  four  curious 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    145 

pins,  standing  out  like  those  in  the  hair  of  a  Jap- 
anese lady. 

"  We  have  many  specimens  of  the  Actinia  (Plate 
V.,  Fig.  19),  but. time  will  not  permit  us  to  particu- 
larize, as  I  have  one  rare  object  to  show  before  we 
close  this  interview.  It  is  not  because  of  its  great 
beauty,  for  it  can  boast  of  little  in  that  line,  that  I 
present  it  to  you  for  your  inspection.  It  is  one  of 
the  greatest  oddities.  Think  of  a  large  caldron, 
around  the  brim  of  which  a  whole  band  of  wild  In- 
dians and  pappooses  are  dancing  and  gesticulating 
in  the  wildest  and  oddest  manner,  and  you  will  have 
the  best  idea  which  you  can  get  without  looking  at 
the  reality.  The  ludicrous  scene  will  be  better  ap- 
preciated if  it  is  remembered  that  the  caldron  is 
inhabited  by  a  distinct  creature,  which  these  animal- 


Lares  around  the.  Mouth  of  tJie  Sabetta. 


146     GREAT    WONDERS   IN    LITTLE    THINGS. 

cule  Indians,  seem  to  be  threatening  with  such  ter- 
rible demonstrations.  Here  it  is,  boys,  and  a  rich 
treat,  too,  as  it  is  not  often  met  with. 

"  I  wonder  not  that  the  poor  Sabella  who  owns 
the  house  has  withdrawn  into  his  citadel  to  escape 
from  such  a  hideous  band.  Watch  how  they  bow 
and  twist  backward  and  forward,  and  shake  hands, 
as  though  exulting  over  an  easy  victory.  But  like 
many  of  a  much  higher  race  who  are  alike  given 
to  noisy  assertions  of  courage,  only  let  the  entrenched 
enemy  show  his  head  above  the  walls,  and  all  these 
threatening  savages  subside  into  quietness,  ready  to 
renew  their  harmless  demonstrations  as  soon  as  he 
goes  out  of  sight  again.  We  have  a  rare  text  for 
moralizing,  but  as  I  am  quite  sure  that  you  can 
draw  the  inferences  without  a  discussion  on  the  sub- 
ject, I  will  leave  it  for  you  to  make  the  application. 
It  is  said  that '  wisdom  can  be  learned  from  a  fool,' 
and  so  we  can  gather  truth  from  the  laughable  as- 
pects of  nature,  as  well  as  from  her  incomparable 
realities. 

"  We  shall  have  occasion  to  spend  another  hour 
over  the  minute  wonders  of  the  sea,  and  so  will  close 
our  pleasant  interview  at  this  point." 

It  was  one  of  the  most  natural  things  for  the 
boys,  when  they  left  the  school-house,  to  gather 
around  the  brink  of  an  old  hydrant  cistern  which 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    147 

was  uncovered  for  repairs,  and  with  joined  hands 
dance  around  it  in  imitation  of  the  grotesque  lares. 
This  they  were  doing  with  great  merriment  when 
the  teacher  passed  on  his  way  home.  He  could  not 
help  smiling  at  the  aptness  with  which  his  little 
friends  appreciated  the  odd  exhibition  which  they 
had  just  witnessed,  nor  did  he  desire  to  repress  their 
exuberance,  not  deeming  it  necessary  for  the  proper 
formation  of  character  that  the  face  should  always 
wear  -a  solemn  look  and  every  disposition  to  mtrth- 
fulness  be  repressed.  He,  therefore,  in  passing 
them,  very  pleasantly  remarked :  * 

"A  very  good  imitation,  boys;  I  did  not  know 
that  you  could-  so  easily  convert  yourselves  into  little 
Indians.  I  rather  suspect  if  the  policeman  should 
appear  you  would  vanish  as  quickly  as  the  lares  do 
on  the  appearance  of  the  poor  Sabella." 

"  We  can  do  that  without  his  appearance,"  said 
Alf  Green  as  they  scattered  merrily  to  their  homes. 


|<mtl    jpolnps  anb  %ir  tltudUngs. 

13 »  149 


CHAPTER    X. 

CORAL  POLYPS  AND  THEIR  DWELLINGS. 

WHEN"  the  children  again  assembled  around  the 
familiar  table  they  found  it  covered  with  a 
large  number  of  specimens  of  coral  of  different  form- 


Madrepore. 


ations,  while  on  a  small  black  marble  stand  there 
rested  a  magnificent  cluster  of  Madrepore. 

151 


152     GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE    THINGS. 

Mr.  Willard  began  the  exercises  by  saying : 

"  As  naturally  following  the  interesting  study  of 
minute  sea  life  which  we  had  yesterday  afternoon, 
we  will  take  up  the  coral  polyps  and  their  wonderful 
dwellings,  not  the  less  beautiful  in  their  forms,  and 
far  more  stupendous  in  their  operations.  They  have 
helped  to  build  up  and  shape  the  globe  on  which  we 
dwell,  and  with  a  ceaseless  energy  and  toil  are  still 
producing  marvelous  changes  that  stagger  the  imag- 
ination. 

"As  it  is  very  difficult  to  obtain  living  coral 
polyps  so  far  from  the  seashore,  we  shall  have  to 
satisfy  ourselves  with  a  description  of  the  living  ani- 
mal, but  their  splendid  palaces  we  have  before  us, 
and  can  carefully  inspect  their  wonderful  architec- 
ture. 

"  The  polyp  family  vary  much  in  size  and  color, 
but  have  the  general  characteristics  of  a  rounded  or 
cylindrical  body,  the  mouth  surrounded  by  a  number 
of  flexible  tentacles,  which  are  retractile.  The  body 
is  soft  and  capable  of  great  extension,  often  protrud- 
ing several  inches  from  the  home  cell.  Hence  many 
of  them  can  be  examined  with  the  unaided  eye,  but 
a  low  power  is  requisite  to  fully  comprehend  their 
curious  structure  and  habits.  They  propagate  in 
three  ways — by  subdivision,  the  deposit  of  eggs,  and 
by  budding,  which  is  perhaps  the  most  common. 


GREAT    WONDERS    IN    LITTLE   THINGS.    153 

That  they  increase  with  great  rapidity  is  evident 
from  the  rapid  -  growth  of  their  dwelling-places. 
Look  at  this  splendid  bunch  of  coral  on  the  stand — 
one  of  the  finest  I  ever  saw.  You  can  perceive  with 
the  natural  eye  that  each  one  of  these  numerous 
branches  is  filled  with  numberless  minute  holes,  con- 
structed with  remarkable  regularity  and  exquisite 
workmanship.  In  each  of  them  one  or  more  live 
polyps  has  made  his  dwelling  and  worked  out  his 
destiny.  We  will  place  a  small  fragment  of  one 
of  these  branches  of  coral  under  our  instrument, 
with  a  high  power,  and  you  will  see  a  gem  of  very 
rare  workmanship,  surrounded  by  a  wreath  of  the 
most  delicate  structure.  What  myr- 
iads of  these  exquisite  chambers 
there  are  in  this  single  specimen! 
Imagine  them  all  inhabited,  and 
each  minute  occupant  ascending  to 
the  battlements  of  his  enchanting  CoraL 

castle  and  spreading  out  his  graceful  banner  of  ten- 
tacles, and  you  will  but  have  the  picture  of  a  past 
reality. 

"  I  have  here  some  beautiful  drawings  of  the  living 
polyps  protruding  from  their  cells.  In  one,  the  Cy- 
donium,  the  tentacles  are  broad  and  feathery,  like  the 
sea  daisy,  while  others  are  star-like,  as  the  Tubipora 
or  Gorgone.  The  Tubipora  is  a  very  curious  coral, 


154     GREAT   WONDERS    IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

often  called  the  organ-pipe  coral,  from  its  striking  re- 
semblance to  a  bunch  of  organ-pipes.     When  these 


tubes  are  occupied  they  have  a  polyp  of  a  bright 
green  color,  seeming  to  the  observer  a  gelatinous 
mass,  which  the  microscope  resolves  into  a  con- 
fluence of  the  myriads  of  inhabitants.  This  species 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    155 

abounds  in  warm  seas,  especially  in  New  South 
Wales,  the  Molucca  Islands,  and  the  Red  Sea,  which 
it  is  fast  filling  up  with  its  ceaseless 
industry. 

"The  Alcyonium  is  a  well-known 
species,  called  by  the  Germans  the 
'  thief's  hand/  and  by  others  the 
1  devil's  thumb,'  with  other  similar 

Alcyonium. 

odd  names.     It  is,  however,  not   as 
ugly  as  these  names  would  indicate,  but  is  really  a 
delicate  and  beautiful  object  when  seen  with  its  oc- 
cupants all  expanded  over  its  surface. 

"  With  this  brief  sketch  of  these  wonderful  little 
architects,  let  us  take  a  glance  at  their  magnificent 
structures.  These  are  different  in  form  and  texture, 
as  you  can  see,  varying  in  shape  from  the  graceful 
tree  to  the  thumb-shaped  projection,  the  wreathed 
circle,  the  flowery  disc,  the  wicker  basket,  and  the 
netted  oval,  and  in  texture  from  compact  limestone 
to  the  most  open  filagree.  In  color  they  are  most 
generally  of  the  purest  white,  but  are  occasionally 
seen  of  a  soft  pink  or  emerald  color. 

"  Mr.  Dana,  who  devoted  much  time  and  careful 
attention  to  the  corals  of  the  Pacific,  where  they 
abound  in  the  greatest  profusion  and  perfection,  thus 
writes :  '  They  form  trees  of  coral,  and  although  not 
emulating  the  oaks  of  the  forests — for  they  do  not 


156     GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

exceed  more  than  six  or  eight  feet  in  height — they 
are  gracefully  branched,  and  the  whole  surface 
blooms  with  coral  polyps  in  place  of  leaves  and 
flowers.  The  cactus,  the  lichen  clinging  to  the  rock, 
and  the  fungus  in  all  its  varieties  have  their  numer- 
ous representatives.  Shrubbery,  tufts  of  rushes, 
beds  of  pinks,  and  feathery  mosses  are  most  exactly 
imitated.  Many  species  spread  out  in  broad  leaves 
or  folia,  and  resemble  some  broad-leaved  plant  just 
unfolding.  When  alive  the  surface  of  each  leaf  is 
covered  with  polyp  flowers.  Besides  these  forms 
imitating  vegetation,  there  are  gracefully-modeled 
vases,  some  of  which  are  three  or  four  feet  in  diam- 
eter, made  up  of  a  net- work  of  branches  and  branch- 
lets  and  strings  of  flowers.  There  are  also  coral 
hemispheres,  like  domes,  among  the  vases  and  shrub- 
bery, occasionally  ten  or  twelve  feet  in  diameter, 
whose  symmetrical  surface  is  gorgeously  decked  with 
polyp  stars  of  purple  and  emerald  green.' 

"  But  the  beauty  of  these  coral  sprays,  and  the 
brilliancy  of  their  colors,  are  lost  sight  of  when  we 
think  of  the  sublime  magnitude  which  they  pre- 
sent as  a  whole,  and  of  the  insignificant  workmen 
who  have  built  them  up  into  islands  and  continents. 
When  we  reflect  that  those  vast  coral  reefs  which 
form  New  Holland  and  the  whole  group  of  islands 
in  the  Pacific  Ocean  were  built  up  from  almost  un- 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    157 

fathomable  depths  by  the  labors  of  these  minute 
polatys,  a  little  oblong  bag  of  jelly,  varying  from 
the  smallest  atom  to  the  size  of  a  pea,  we  may  well 
pause  and  ask,  '  Can  these  things  be  so  ?'  We  cease 
to  wonder  at  a  few  millions  of  monads  in  a  drop  of 
water :  a  greater  marvel  is  before  us — a  tiny  crea- 
ture building  up  continents  and  ocean  barriers, 
blocking  up  the  march  of  progress,  and  wrecking 
mighty  navies.  We  cease  to  wonder  at  insignifi- 
cance, and  stand  trembling  at  the  dangers  which  it 
builds  up  before  us. 

"  What  myriads  upon  myriads  of  these  little  crea- 
tures have  toiled  for  untold  ages  beneath  the  deep, 
deep  sea !  It  eludes  all  attempts  at  calculation,  and 
imagination  shrinks  from  the  effort  to  compass  it. 
They  have  done  what  man  would  attempt  in  vain  to 
accomplish,  damming  up  the  paths  of  the  sea  and 
saying,  as  with  the  voice  of  Omnipotence,  '  Hitherto 
shalt  thou  come,  but  no  further,  and  here  shall  thy 
proud  waves  be  stayed.' 

"  The  Polynesian  Archipelago,  now  denominated 
one  of  the  great  divisions  of  the  globe,  is  the  up- 
building of  these  little  zoophites.  On  the  coast  of 
Australia  the  Great  Barrier  Keef  stretches  for  more 
than  a  thousand  miles.  Some  groups  of  coral  islands 
in  the  Pacific  are  longer  still,  reaching  to  twelve  or 
fifteen  hundred  miles  in  length  by  three  or  four 
14 


158     GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

hundred  in  breadth.  And  all  this  work  of  world- 
building  done  by  an  animal  barely  possessing  life, 
cemented  to  a  narrow  cell,  and  ephemeral  in  exist- 
ence !  Guided  by  the  divine  wisdom  and  aided  by 
the  almighty  hand  of  God,  it  goes  on  mapping  out  its 
submarine  foundations  and  building  up  from  the 
ocean's  deep  valleys  new  worlds  for  man's  inhabit- 
ing !  What  are  the  proudest  monuments  of  man's 
skill  compared  to  this  ocean  masonry  ?  What  is  an 
elephant  or  a  lion  compared  to  such  a  creature  as 
this?  Ocean  storm  and  grinding  keel  may  often 
destroy  in  a  few  hours  the  patient  work  of  centuries, 
but  the  brave  zoophite  is  not  discouraged.  He  stops 
not  to  mourn  over  the  ruin,  nor  to  anathematize  the 
spoiler  of  his  labors,  but  at  once  addresses  himself  to 
the  task  of  restoring  the  wreck  to  order  and  sym- 
metry. He  seems  to  have  learned  the  lesson  long 
before  our  voices  had  been  tuned  to  sing  it: 

'  If  at  first  you  don't  succeed, 
Try,  try  again/ 

and  most  faithfully  has  he  profited  by  it. 

"  We  are  also  impressed  with  the  great  virtue  of 
unselfishness.  The  little  polyp  that  laid  the  founda- 
tion of  one  of  these  ocean  continents  ten  or  fifteen 
hundred  feet  below  the  surface  of  the  deep  began 
his  labors  not  only  to  meet  the  necessities  of  his  own 


GREAT   WONDERS    IN    LITTLE   THINGS.    159 

brief  existence,  but  for  a  posterity  which  should 
come  many  thousand  years  after  his  ocean  masonry 
was  completed  and  he  himself  absorbed  into  the 
superstructure  which  he  had  helped  to  build  up,  yet 
he  faithfully  served  his  day  and  generation,  gather- 
ing in  from  the  watery  wastes  around  him  his  atom 
of  lime,  and  gluiflg  it  to  the  ocean's  bed,  fashioning 
out  his  little  home  cell,  which  was  to  serve  equally 
for  his  dwelling,  his  sepulchre,  and  his  monument. 

"The. same  God  who  gave  the  coral  worm  a 
work  and  inspired  him  with  patience  and  industry 
to  complete  his  task  has  given  to  each  of  you  a 
higher  vocation,  but  instead  of  leading  you  by  blind 
instinct  to  fulfill  the  purposes  of  your  creation,  he 
has  endowed  you  with  reasoning  faculties  that  you 
may  prove  yourselves  worthy  of  his  great  bestowal. 
You  are  to  develop  and  apply  your  superior  endow- 
ments to  the  noblest  purposes  of  truth,  benevolence, 
and  religion.  You  are  not  here  to  build  great 
monuments  of  labor,  produce  marvelous  physical 
changes,  and  then  to  die,  but  to  '  glorify  God  and 
enjoy  him  for  ever!'  He  who  crowns  the  labors  of 
the  insignificant  coralline  with  such  wonderful  re- 
sults has  especially  promised  that  you  shall  not 
labor  in  vain,  nor  spend  your  strength  for  naught. 
Only  apply  your  energies  to  noble  pursuits,  and 
press  on  with  unfaltering  assiduity,  and  '  in  due  time 


160     GREAT   WONDERS   IN    LITTLE   THINGS. 

you  shall  reap,  if  you  faint  not.'  You  may  not 
help  to  build  up  continents  from  the  bosom  of  the 
deep,  nor  stretch  a  barrier  across  the  ocean  pathway, 
but  you  may  help  to  deck  the  one  with  verdure  and 
bring  to  its  inhabitants  the  blessings  of  knowledge 
and  religion,  and  build  on  the  other  the  beacon-light 
which  shall  guide  the  mariner  away  from  its  dan- 
gers. You  have  something  to  do,  and  do  it  faith- 
fully : 

1  Choose  well  the  path  in  which  you  run, 

Succeed  by  noble  daring ; 
Then,  though  the  last,  when  once  His  won, 

Your  crown  is  worth  the  wearing. 
Then  never  fret  if  left  behind, 

Nor  slacken  your  endeavor ; 
But  ever  keep  this  truth  in  mind — 

'Tis  better  late  than  never  I* 

"  Of  these  polyp  dwellings  there  are  three  or  four 
different  styles  of  architecture.  One  of  the  most 
peculiar  is  called  the  Atoll.  It  consists  of  a  circle 
of  coral  formation  enclosing  a  shallow  lagoon.  This 
circular  reef  rises  just  above  the  level  of  the  sea, 
spreading  out  to  the  breadth  of  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
or  more,  on  the  outside  of  which  the  water  has 
great  depth,  but  within  growing  less  and  less  until 
it  all  disappears.  In  this  how  marked  is  the  divine 
agency !  God  is  the  great  superintending  architect. 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    161 

The  little  polyp  works  to  propagate  his  race,  but 
the  purpose  which  God  has  in  view  is  the  building 
up  of  a  new  habitation  for  man,  using  these  minute 
toilers  of  the  sea  to  accomplish  it  rather  than  to 
speak  the  word  which  would  give  an  instantaneous 
result.  But  these  little  workmen  would  toil  in  vain 
were  their  frail  structure  exposed  constantly  to  the 
direct  action  of  the  ceaseless  ebb  and  dash  of  the 


A  Coral  Atoll. 

ocean.  Not  only  would  their  direct  labors  be  de- 
stroyed, but  the  algse  and  other  vegetable  growth 
necessary  to  form  a  soil  would  be  swept  away.  But 
God  directs  his  little  workmen  to  form  their  circular 
wall,  and  calmness  settles  over  the  face  of  the  waters 
within,  where  pastures  of  algse  grow,  decay,  and  leave 
successive  strata  of  rich  sediment  until  the  dry  land 
appears  and  verdure  covers  the  surface. 
14*  L 


162     GEEAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

"  The  Barrier  Reef,  as  another  class  of  coral  form- 
ations is  called,  illustrates  the  wisdom  of  this  circu- 
lar protection.  These  remain  much  the  same  for 
ages,  the  waves  sweeping  over  them  during  storms 
or  high  tides,  unless  God,  by  some  other  wonderful 
agency,  lifts  them  up  above  the  ocean  friction. 

"  A  writer,  in  describing  the  action  of  the  surf  on 
flie  Great  Barrier  Reef  on  the  north-east  coast  of 
Australia,  gives  a  vivid  picture.  He  says:  'The 
long  ocean-swell  being  suddenly  impeded  by  this 
barrier,  lifted  itself  in  one  great,  continuous  ridge  of 
deep  blue  water,  which,  curling  over,  fell  on  the 
edge  of  the  reef  irf  an  unbroken  cataract  of  dazzling 
white  foam.  Each  line  of  breakers  ran  often  one  or 
two  miles  in  length,  with  not  a  perceptible  gap  in  its 
continuity.  There  was  a  simple  grandeur  and  dis- 
play of  power  and  beauty  in  this  scene  that  rose 
even  to  sublimity.  The  unbroken  roar  of  the  surf, 
with  its  regular  pulsations  of  thunder,  as  each  suc- 
ceeding swell  fell  first  on  the  outer  edge  of  the  reef, 
was  almost  deafening,  yet  so  deep-toned  as  not  to 
interfere  with  the  slightest  nearer  and  sharper  sound. 
But  the  sound  and  sight  were  such  as  to  impress  the 
spectator  with  a  consciousness  of  standing  in  the 
presence  of  overwhelming  majesty  and  power.' 

"  These  scenes  are  truly  grand,  but  they  are  much 
oftener  the  occasion  of  overwhelming  fears,  when, 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    163 

*amid  darkness  and  storm,  the  poor  mariner  hears 
the  thunder  of  their  dashing.  The  wrecks  which  lie 
around  them  are  abundant  proof  that  his  fears  are 
well  grounded.  They  are  the  terror  of  ocean  navi- 
gation, yet  the  goodness  of  God  is  seen  in  slowly 
lifting  them  up  for  man's  dwelling-place,  and  often 
shaping  them  into  a  harbor  of  safety,  where  the 
sailor  can  drop  his  anchor. 

"The  little  polyp  cannot  carry  on  his  masonry 
above  the  surface  of  the  water ;  hence,  when  he  has 
reached  the  surface,  other  agencies  must  complete 
the  work  which  he  has  thus  far  advanced,  or  it  re- 
mains a  new  danger  in  the  pathway  of  man.  But 
God  has  abundant  resources.  If  his  designs  are  to 
be  developed  slowly,  new  forms  of  life  and  vegetable 
growth  work  out  his  sovereign  will;  but  if  more 
rapid  agencies  are  required,  the  earthquake  or  vol- 
canic fires  lift  up  by  one  mighty  throe  the  submerged 
continent  or  beetling  cliff.  Thus  God  combines  the 
weakest  and  mightiest  forces  to  complete  his  vast 
designs. 

"In  our  own  country  the  Florida  reefs  are  an 
illustration  of  these  coral  wonders.  Look  at  your 
maps,  and  you  will  see  extending  out  from  the  south- 
ern point  of  that  State,  many  miles  in  length,  a  suc- 
cession of  small  islands  called  the  Florida  Keys. 
These  are  the  work  of  the  coral  polyp ;  and,  busy 


164     GREAT    WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

still,  his  work  goes  on,  building  up  and  extending 
out  the  borders  of  his  populous  city. 

"  A  recent  writer  in  Harper's  Monthly  Magazine, 
who  accompanied  a  party  of  engineers  making  a 
survey  of  the  Keys,  gives  a  very  interesting  account 
of  their  formations.  They  are  described  as  being 
raised  some  two  feet  above  the  water,  and  formed  of 
several  varieties  of  coral,  the  process  still  going  on 
with  great  rapidity.  So  soon  as  there  is  the  least 
appearance  of  dry  land  at  low  tides,  God  has  pro- 
vided a  wonderful  tree  to  root  itself  in  the  soil  and 
form  a  nucleus  of  vegetation — the  mangrove. 

"  See  the  wisdom  of  this  provision.  If  the  seed  of 
this  tree  was  like  a  chestnut,  or  other  dry-land  spe- 
cies, dry  ground  must  appear  before  it  could  propa- 
gate. But  the  seed  of  the  mangrove  is  long,  cigar- 
shaped,  and  starts  the  germinal  leaves  before  it  drops 
from  the  parent  tree.  When  it  at  last  is  free  it 
drops  into  the  water,  with  half  of  its  length  beneath 
the  surface,  with  little  rootlets  feeling  about,  ready 
to  grasp  the  first  bottom  that  may  be  touched.  Here 
it  roots  itself  and  grows,  spreading  out  into  a  grove 
while  yet  the  water  is  above  the  coral  formation. 
But  the  nucleus  of  an  island  is  formed,  and  time 
will  enable  the  various  agencies  to  build  it  up  to  the 
sunshine.  The  ways  of  the  Almighty  are  wonder- 
ful. That  mind  must  be  dull  which  does  not  per- 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN    LITTLE   THINGS.    165 


ceive  his  wisdom,  and  that  heart  cold  indeed  that 
does  not  reverence  him  for  his  goodness  and  his 
wonderful  works. 

"Our  roaming  amid  the  coral 
groves  has  been  very  delighful, 
and  has  attractions  which  might 
detain  us  for  many  an  hour  longer, 
but  our  allotted  hour  has  expired, 
and  we  must  take  our  leave  for 
the  present  of  the  minute  wonders 
of  the  sea." 

The  children  left  the  school- 
house  that  evening  in  quite  a  dif- 
ferent mood  from  that  manifested 
the  day  before,  when  they  imitated 
the  grotesque  lares  around  the 
broken  cistern.  They  were  ex- 
cited, but  thoughtful.  They  began 
to  comprehend  the  bearings  and 
lessons  of  the  subjects  which  their 
teacher  had  so  skillfully  brought 
before  them.  An  awe  of  God, 
never  realized  before,  seemed  to 
pervade  their  minds.  It  held  in  an  impressive  silence 
their  youthful  lips,  so  ready  to  give  utterance  to  long 
pent-up  emotions  when  relieved  from  the  restraints 
of  the  school-room.  That  oft-repeated  text  came 


Mangrove  Seed  taking 
root. 


166     GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE  THINGS. 

to  many  of  their  memories,  "  Thou,  God,  seest  me," 
with  a  new  meaning,  and  their  secret  sins  began  to 
trouble  the  conscience  as  they  realized  how  plainly 
and  comprehensively  they  were  all  known  to  God. 
Many  a  good  resolution  was  doubtless  made  to  refrain 
from  further  offending  him  who  could  "set  their 
secret  sins  in  the  light  of  his  countenance."  Small 
acts,  whether  good  or  bad,  were  comprehended  in  a 
new  light.  They  were  seen  to  have  a  relation  to 
every  other  act,  shaping  and  coloring  the  whole 
tenor  of  life.  The  whole  is  but  the  minute  parts 
united. 

The  earnest,  loving  teacher  saw  all  this,  and  re- 
joiced that  his  labor  had  not  been  in  vain. 


167 


CHAPTER    XI. 

ANNELIDA. 

WHEN  the  children  were  again  assembled  for 
the   coveted   afternoon's  treat,   Mr.  Willard 
arranged  his  instruments,  and  began : 

"  Since  we  last  explored  our  little  drop  of  ditch 
water,  we  have  made  rather  a  long  and  extensive 
voyage  over  the  ocean,  inspecting  the  coral  islands 
of  the  Pacific  and  reef-bound  shores  of  New  Hol- 
land and  Australia.  We  have  found  many  objects 
of  absorbing  interest,  though,  contrary  to-  the  usual 
custom,  confining  ourselves  to  the  minute  forms  of 
life  and  matter  which  combine  to  build  up  their 
greatness.  But  now  we  must  come  back  to  our  vul- 
gar drop  of  stagnant  water,  which  is  far  from  being 
exhausted  of  its  rich  treasures,  there  being  many 
beautiful  things  within  its  compass  still  awaiting  our 
examination.  It  may  seem  a  great  letting  down — a 
passing  from  the  sublime  to  the  ridiculous — to  turn 
from  the  marvels  of  the  mighty  ocean  to  the  insig- 
nificance of  a  drop  of  ditch  water,  but  we  must  re- 
member that  our  astonishment  has  been  excited,  not 

15  169 


170     GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

by  the  sublimity  of  magnitude,  but  by  the  profusion 
and  minuteness  of  the  small.  In  this  view,  insig- 
nificance becomes  the  synonym  of  greatness — little 
things,  but  great  wonders !  In  this  sense  our  homely 
drop  of  water  outrivals  the  marvelous  revelations 
of  the  great  deep.  We  should  look  for  great  won- 
ders in  its  boundless  waters,  and  therefore  should  not 
be  astonished  when  we  found  them,  but  when  they 
meet  us  so  unexpectedly  in  the  drop  we  are  hardly 
able  to  comprehend  the  fact.  Narrow  as  its  bounds 
are,  should  we  aim  to  exhaust  its  hidden  treasures,  it 
would  require  many  more  days  of  earnest  application. 

"  In  returning  to  its  inspection,  it  is  with  no  inten- 
tion of  describing  all  it  comprehends,  but  only  such 
forms  of  living  creatures  and  strange  plant-growths 
as  have  been  so  often  before  our  eyes  during  our  past 
examinations  as  to  excite  your  desire  to  know  more 
about  them.  Even  to  do  this  will  employ  several 
afternoons  yet — more,  I  fear,  than  you  will  be  dis- 
posed to  devote  to  the  subject  without  becoming 
weary. 

"  We  will  begin  with  a  class  of  creatures  not  quite 
so  attractive  to  the  eye  as  those  we  have  been  con- 
sidering, yet  having  many  points  of  great  interest — 
the  Annelida,  or  worms.  In  examining  these  objects 
we  shall  not  be  very  careful  to  observe  the  strict 
family  relations,  but  take  them  very  much  as  they 


GREAT  WONDERS   IN   LITTLE  THINGS.    171 

shall  appear  under  our  instruments — worms,  mol- 
luscs, and  insects. 

"  First  let  us  notice  a  very  queer  creature  which 
is  perceptible  to  the  unaided  eye,  and  which  has 
often  kept  up  such  a  '  wiggling '  in  the  water  that 
we  have  had  to  remove  him  in  order  to  continue 
our  observation." 

"  Oh !  here  is  one  now,  Mr.  Willard,"  said  Tim 
Allen,  "  in  the  drop  I'm  looking  at,  and  he  makes 
such  a  fuss  I  can't  see  anything." 

"  Well,  Master  Tim,  pick  him  out,  and  see  if  you 
can  tell  me  what  it  is." 

"Why,  yes,  teacher;  it  is  a  wiggler,  isn't  it?" 


Larva  of  the  Mosquito. 

"That  is  the  name  commonly  given  to  it,  but 
what  is  a  wiggler  ?  He  looks  very  fierce,  with  his 
branching  horns  and  bristling  sides,  and  what  queer 
eyes  stare  at  you !  This  terrible  fellow,  children,  is 
the  larva  of  the  musquito,  so  you  see  his  looks  do 
not  belie  his  nature,  for  he  turns  into  a  blood- 
thirsty wretch.  Look  into  a  barrel  full  of  rain 


172     GEEAT   WONDERS    IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

water,  and  you  will  see  multitudes  of  them  moving 
about,  or  hanging  with  the  head  downward,  with 
that  little  feathery  tuft  at  the  tail  spread  out  on  the 
surface  of  the  water. 

"  If  you  will  hold  the  water  between  the  eye  and 
a  strong  light,  and  look  very  carefully,  you  may  per- 
ceive a  number  of  pale  thread-like  objects  moving 
through  the  element  with  wriggling  or  jerking  mo- 
tions. These  are  generally  some  form  of  the  An- 
nelida, or  minute  water  worms,  but  they  are  so 
attenuated  that  we  must  put  them  under  the  glass  to 
determine  their  structure.  We  have  had  many 
familiar  species  under  our  instruments  since  we  com- 
menced our  examination,  and  some  very  rare  and, 
so  far  as  I  am  informed,  quite  new  species.  At  least 
I  have  never  seen  them  pictured  nor  described. 

"Of  the  familiar 
examples  is  the  Vine- 
gar eel:  as  seen  by 
the  power  we  are 
using,  it  is  a  smooth 
silvery  body,  taper- 


moves  through  the  water  by  a  wriggling  motion.  It 
abounds  in  stale  vinegar,  sour  paste,  and  nearly  all 
stagnant  water. 

"Here    is   another  still   more    lengthy   denizen, 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    173 

which  has  often  arrested  our  eye  in  more  than  one 
form,  and  although  not  strictly  belonging  to  the 
class  of  annelida,  yet  coming  to  us  in  the  form  of  a 
worm,  we  will  let  him  pass  as  a  cousin  to  the  family 
this  time.  He  is  named  the  Monocystis  lumbricorum. 


Monocystis. 


He  is  very  flexible,  and  is  often  seen  rolled  up  into 
a  ball  or  sharp  oval,  and  by  some  is  supposed  to  be 
connected  with  the  production  of  a  distinct  class  of 
animalcules,  which  will  come  under  our  inspection 
hereafter. 

"  But  here  is  a  very  marked  specimen  of  minute 
worms  which  I  have  never  seen  described.  It  has 
often  been  under  our  glass,  and  is  very  common  in 


From  South  New  Jersey. 


the  meadow  ditches  of  South   New  Jersey.     It  is 


15  * 


174     GREAT  WONDERS   IN   LITTLE  THINGS. 

long,  slim,  with  short  articulated  joints,  and  very 
flexible.  It  has  two  very  bright  black  eye-spots, 
with  fine  dots  extending  the  entire  length  of  the 
body,  on  both  sides  of  the  alimentary  canal,  ending 
at  the  tail,  which  is  tipped  with  hairy  appendages 
extending  in  a  circle.  As  you  notice,  he  is  very 
active,  probing  into  every  bunch  of  algse  or  other 
clusters  of  matter  with  evident  greediness.  In  color 
he  is  nearly  white,  or  slightly  tinged  with  grayish 
-  blue. 

"  Another  interesting  object,  which  has  often  ap- 
peared during  our  examinations,  is  also  '  unpictured 
and  unsung/  so  far  as  I  know,  but  we  will  give  him 
a  chance  for  immortality.  He  is  not  likely  a  mem- 
ber of  the  annelida,  although  often  stretched  out 
like  a  worm.  His  general  shape  is  that  which  we 
now  see — a  broad,  square  nose,  with  two  dark  eye- 


spots,  the  body  then  swelling  to  the  middle  and  ta- 
pering by  slower  degrees  to  the  tail.  The  stomach 
is  very  capacious,  through  which  the  contents  are 
seen  in  a  dark,  reddish-brown  mass,  nearly  filling 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    175 

up  the  centre  of  the  body.  The  mouth  is  under- 
neath, and  is  surrounded  by  cilia,  by  the  use  of 
which  it  not  only  feeds,  but  moves  through  the  water 
with  great  speed.  This  circumstance  would  indicate 
its  relation  to  the  rotifers  in  some 
stage  of  progress. 

"  Differing  entirely  from  this,  ex- 
cept in  the  form  of  the  head,  is  that 
active  monster,  with  a  long,  flexible 
body,  many-jointed  and  hairy.  How 
he  wriggles,  contracts,  and  stretches 
out,  as  if  he  would  never  reach  the 
end  of  his  flexibility!  Unless  our 
power  is  low  we  can  never  have  him 
all  under  the  eye  at  once.  He  seems 
also  to  possess  the  tenacity  of  life 
given  to  the  polyps,  as  I  have  often 
cut  one  in  two — a  circumstance 
which  he  did  not  seem  to  mind,  as 
both  parts  kept  right  on  with  un- 
abated activity.  Watch,  and  see  what 
huge  mouthfuls  he  takes  up,  which 
you  can  trace  in  its  whole  pro- 
gress through  the  animal  until  it  is 
finally  ejected.  The  color  of  the  one 
before  us  is  reddish  brown,  although  I  have  seen 
them  nearly  colorless,  or  tinged  with  green,  owing, 


176     GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

no  doubt,  to  the  nature  of  the  food  used.  I  have 
observed  a  peculiar  habit  of  this  annelida — the  pas- 
sage of  two  currents  of  water  into  the  apertures  on 
each  side  of  the  tail,  which  seem  to  pass  up  near  the 
head,  where  they  enter  the  alimentary  canal,  and 
then  turn  their  course,  and  are  ejected  with  the  other 
contents  of  the  stomach.  If  this  be  the  fact — and  I 
have  verified  it  again  and  again — it  is  a  wonderful 
provision  of  Nature. 

"  But  here  is  the  leviathan  of  our  minute  ocean  ! 
A  nondescript,  a  worm,  a  quadruped!     You   can 


Annelida  with  Legs  and  Horns. 


barely  distinguish  him  with  the  eye  as  a  whitish 
filament,  but  under  our  instruments  what  a  monster ! 
His  head  is  a  hard  shell,  with  two  staring  eyes  and 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    177 

a  pair  of  long,  straight  horns.  The  mouth  is  armed 
with  a  pair  of  sharp  and  strong  mandibles,  with 
which  he  tears  his  way  through  every  obstruction, 
and  woe  be  to  any  poor  animalcule  that  comes  within 
their  sweep!  I  have  repeatedly  seen  a  rotifer  or  a 
paramecium  impaled  on  one  of  those  terrible  jaws. 
The  head  seems  fixed  to  the  body  by  a  socket-joint, 
and  is  often  turned  at  a  right  angle  with  the  body. 

"  Many  of  the  annelida  have  legs,  like  a  caterpil- 
lar, at  th^  articulations  of  the  body,  but  the  marked 
peculiarity  of  this  hideous  fellow  is  that  he  is  a 
quadruped— he  has  only  four  legs,  two  just  back  of 
the  head,  and  two  at  the  extreme  end  somewhat 
longer.  Instead  of  feet,  each  leg  is  furnished  with  a 
number  of  little  filaments  branching  out  in  a  circle. 
Resting  on  these,  he  bends  and  twists  into  all  shapes, 
and  when  he  moves  he  brings  the  hind  pair  near  the 
head,  and  then  throws  himself  forward  with  a  sudden 
spring.  Just  above  the  insertion  of  the  hind  legs 
there  are  two  long,  hairy  appendages,  like  those  seen 
on  some  species  of  caterpillars.  He  is  indeed  a 
savage-looking  creature,  but  has  always  a  peculiar 
charm  for  me,  and  I  seldom  get  tired  of  watching  his 
movements.  Like  the  others  which  I  have  men- 
tioned, I  have  seen  no  pictured  representation  of 
him,  nor  any  description.  He  is  not  so  common  as 
others,  but  I  have  one  place  where  I  can  always 
M 


178     GREAT    WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

find  specimens  in  the  summer  season — a  little  bed 
of  chara  growing  in  a  clear  rivulet  just  as  it  emerges 
from  the  low  arch  of  a  stone  bridge.  The  head  only 
is  encased  in  a  shell,  the  body  being  soft  and  flex- 
ible. The  specimen  we  have  is  a  very  large  one, 
they  generally  being  much  smaller — so  minute,  some- 
times, as  to  be  entirely  unobservable  with  the  natu- 
ral eye.  I  think  you  will  regard  this  strange  crea- 
ture as  a  greater  wonder  than  the  alligator  and  big 
serpents  of  the  menagerie. 

"There  is  a  worm  belonging  to  another  class, 
called  Entozoa,  from  being  a  parasite — that  is,  living 
in  other  animals — which  we  must  name  because  of  its 
fatal  effects — the  Trichina  spiralis.  It  lives  and 
breeds  in  the  muscular  fibre  of  different  animals, 


Trichina  Spirali&. 

especially  the  swine,  and  by  the  use  of  pork  it  is 
often  introduced  with  fatal  results  into  the  human 
system.  In  Germany  and  some  of  the  Western 
States  whole  families  have  died  from  this  cause.  It 
is  exceedingly  minute,  thousands  upon  thousands 
being  often  found  in  a  square  inch  of  the  diseased 


GREAT   WONDERS    IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    179 

muscle.  If  pork  or  ham  is  eaten  at  all,  it  should  be 
well  cooked,  as  being  the  only  safeguard  against 
their  introduction.  In  the  little  drawing  which  I 
have  obtained,  the  animal  is  seen  coiled  up  in  the 
section  of  muscle,  and  also  one  separated,  both  of 
which  are  repulsive  enough  to  cause  us  to  guard  well 
against  a  more  intimate  acquaintance. 

"  There  are  many  other  specimens  of  annelida 
which  might  be  named,  but  as  they  have  not  been 
under  our  glasses,  we  will  let  them  pass. 

"The  annelida  propagate  by  division,  gemmation, 
and  eggs,  but  do  not  multiply  as  rapidly  as  many 
other  of  the  minute  orders. 

"  We  have  had  a  number  of  another  family  of 
animals  under  our  instruments 
which  we  must  briefly  notice : 
the  learned  call  them  Entomos- 
traca,  an  order  of  mollusc  with 

Condona  Hispida. 

a  mixture  of  the  insect.  Of 
this  class  is  the  Condona  hispida,  or  '  Hairy  Crawler/ 
The  animal  is  enclosed  in  a  bivalve  with  four  pro- 
truding legs,  which  are  constantly  in  motion,  except 
when  drawn  in.  In  front  are  two  long  horns  with 
hairy  terminations,  and  the  whole  body  bristles  all 
over  with  sharp  spines  or  hairs.  A  still  more  inter- 
esting object  is  the  little  Cypris,  a  bluish,  egg-shaped 
creature,  though  often  brown  and  greenish.  He  has 


180     GREAT    WONDERS   IN    LITTLE   THINGS. 


Cypris. 


the  shell  and  features  of  the  crawler,  but  is  pos* 
sessed  of  great  interest  as  being 
one  of  the  earliest  objects  met  with 
in  a  fossil  state.  It  is  very  numer- 
ous now  in  the  living  state,  but 
must  have  been  much  more  pro- 
lific, as  its  countless  remains  form  strata  several  hun- 
dred feet  deep,  as  seen  in  Auvergne  in  France.  The 
Hastings  sand  and  Purbeck  limestone  of  England, 
more  than  a  thousand  feet  in  thickness,  are  also 
crowded  with  them.  Thus,  as  we  look  at  these  little 
creatures  jerking  and  tumbling  in  the  drops  of  water 
before  us,  we  are  carried  back,  in  tracing  their  descent, 
to  unnumbered  ages,  and  like  the  coral  polyps,  find 
in  this  frail  creature  another  of  God's  wonderful 
world-builders. 

"The   Canthocamptus  and  Polyphemus   are    near 
akin.     The  first  named  is  of  a  bright  pink,  with 


Canthocamptw. 


Polyphemtts. 


red  spots,  and  is  often  met  with  in  all  stagnant 
ponds,  where  it  skips  about  and  breeds  with  great 
rapidity. 


GREAT    WONDERS   IN    LITTLE   THINGS.    181 

"  The  longer  object  just  beneath  these  is  the  well- 
known  Branchiopus  stagnates,  abounding,  as  his  name 


Branchiopus. 

indicates,  in  all  still  waters.  He  is  a  singular  crea- 
ture, having  a  large  head  somewhat  resembling  a 
grasshopper,  with  a  body  that  seems  a  skeleton, 
with  the  backbone  greatly  prolonged.  The  little 
green  animal,  with  two  long  feelers  at  the  head  and 
a  pair  of  ears  behind,  is  the 
Cyclops.  He  abounds  in  nearly 
all  waters,  and  is  a  very  interest- 
ing object  to  watch.  His  motions 
are  spasmodic,  giving  a  few 
strokes  with  his  paddles,  and  then 
resting,  as  though  looking  ahead 

*        A  u   f  l,-  Cyclops. 

for  dangers    before    rushing  on 

too  fast.     Perhaps  in  this  some  of  us  would  do  well 

to  copy  his  example. 

"  The  Alteutha  is  quite  similar. 

"  But  you  ask  what  are  those  four  beautiful  red 
bead-like  clusters  set  in  bright  green.  They  are 
a  rare  sight,  truly :  they  are  the  eggs  of  the  little 

16 


182     GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE  THINGS. 


Cypris  which  we  have  just  examined.     Each  cluster 
is  composed  of  a  mass  of  eggs  glued  to  a  green  leaf 


Alteutha. 


Eggs  of  Cypris. 


of  duck  weed,  and  thus  set,  they  rival  the  splendors 
of  the  rarest  jewelry. 

"  We  have  time  to  notice  but  one  more  of  the  in- 
teresting creatures  which  have  come  under  our  eyes 
this  afternoon — the  Daphnia,  or  Water  Flea.  Like 
his  namesake  on  dry  land,  he  has 
been  seen  many  times  during 
our  examination  leaping  across 
the  field  of  vision,  as  though  de- 
termined to  attract  our  notice, 
and  we  will  therefore  gratify  his 
ambition.  He,  like  the  Cypris, 
is  enclosed  in  a  prettily-marked 
shell,  but  is  peculiar  from  hav- 
ing two  long  arms  pushing  out 
just  back  of  the  head,  which  branch  into  two  parts 
at  about  half  their  length,  and  end  with  hairy  tufts. 
Just  back  of  the  arm-sockets  the  heart  is  seen  in  full 
action,  showing  it  to  possess  a  very  high  organiza- 
tion. There  are  many  varieties  of  this  little  crea- 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE  THINGS.    183 

ture,  but  all  so  nearly  alike  as  to  require  no  separate 
description. 

"We  have  occasionally  met  with  some  strange 
animals  during  our  examination  that 
have  always  arrested  your  attention 
because  they  are  among  the  few  ani- 
malcules gifted  with  legs  and  claws : 
they  are  the  Tardigrada,  or  Water 
Bears.  We  have  two  varieties  be- 
fore us,  differing  mainly  in  the  form- 
ation of  the  hind  feet,  as  can  be  easily 
observed.  They  are  very  curious 
creatures,  and  bear  no  small  resem- 
blance to  their  namesakes  as  they 
crawl  and  tumble  among  the  clusters 
of  algse  to  which  they  always  cling. 
There  is  one  marked  difference,  how- 
ever— our  little  friends  have  a  double 
quantity  of  legs.  Their  claws  are 
strikingly  like  those  of  the  bear,  being 
long,  sharp,  and  curved. 

"There  is  another  point  of  resem- 
blance—their tenacity  of  life.     The       Water  Bears' 
bear  hibernates  during  the  winter,  that  is,  lives  with- 
out taking  food ;  so  the  little  tardigrada  can  be  dried 
up  for  months,  but  apply  warmth  and  moisture,  and 
-  they  come  forth  as  active  as  ever.     They  multiply 


184     GREAT   WONDERS    IN    LITTLE  THINGS. 

by  larvae,  and  but  slowly,  compared  with  many  other 
animalcules. 

"  We  have  now  spent  many  pleasant  hours  in  our 
menagerie  inspecting  the  strange  animals  which  it 
contains,  yet  quite  as  many  remain  unnoticed,  but 
as  we  have  had  the  more  prominent  classes  under 
observation,  it  must  suffice  for  the  present.  My  ob- 
ject has  been,  not  to  teach  you  the  details  of  this 
department  of  Natural  Science,  but  to  arrest  your 
attention  and  give  you  an  outline  by  which  you  may 
be  guided  in  your  future  excursions  into  these  en- 
chanting regions.  But  more  especially  have  I  de- 
sired to  impress  your  young  hearts  with  proper  and 
devout  conceptions  of  God  and  his  marvelous  works. 
I  think  I  have  notfailed.  I  hope  as  many  of  you  as 
possibly  can  will  secure  one  of  the  cheap  microscopes 
found  in  all  the  stores  keeping  philosophical  instru- 
ments, and  prosecute  your  researches.  In  each  order 
of  the  animalcules  examined,  and  which  you  can  now 
readily  distinguish,  you  will  find  many  species  which 
we  have  not  noticed,  and  even  those  most  carefully 
examined  will  present  many  points  of  new  interest. 
Leaving  you,  then,  to  complete  what  we  have  begun, 
we  will  pass,  in  our  next  interview,  to  consider  the 
almost  equally  wonderful  minute  plant-life  found  in 
a  drop  of  water." 


ffionftrboib 

16 »  185 


PLATE    VI. 


CONFERVOID   ALGJE. 

FIGURES 

1.  Oscillatoria  autumnalis. 

2.  Nostoc  commune. 

3.  Conferva  floccosa,  with  filament  breaking  up. 

4.  Spirogyra  nitida  decaying. 

5.  Spirogyra  quinina,  filament. 

6.  Spirogyra  quinina,  conjugating. 

7.  Spirogyra  cells  with  biciliated  spores. 

8.  Spirogyra  spores  after  conjugating. 

9.  Spirogyra  spores  before  germination. 

10.  Spirogyra  spores  with  globular  contents. 

11.  Spirogyra  spores  with  spiny  bodies. 

12.  Spirogyra  with  imperfectly  conjugated  cells. 

13.  Spirogyra  with  cell  nucleus. 

14.  Monostroma  bullosa,  with  spores. 

15.  Stigeoclonium  protensum. 

16.  Staurocarpus  gracilis. 

17.  Rhizoclonium  obtusangulum. 

18.  Conferva  serea. 

19.  CEdogonium  vesicatum,  with  spores. 

20.  Ulathrix  mucosa. 

21.  Sphaeroplea  annulina. 

22.  Ulva  lactuca,  with  spores. 
186 


Plate  TL 


CHAPTER    XII. 

CONFERV01D  ALG^E. 

"TTTE  are  all  familiar  with  the  rural  picture 
'  ^  where  sheep  and  cattle  are  seen  grazing  the 
rich  pastures  and  reposing  under  the  cooling  shade — 
a  scene  that  has  often  inspired  the  artist  to  the 
highest  efforts  of  genius — and  the  result  has  been  to 
add  some  of  the  rarest  and  most  valuable  pictures 
to  the  art  *  treasures  of  the  world.  Few  would  sus- 
pect, however,"  said  Mr.  Willard,  "that  we  can  find 
a  counterpart  on  every  slime-covered  rock,  damp 
mossy  cellar,  or  ice-house,  and  spread  over  the  peb- 
bly bottom  of  spring  and  brook ;  yes,  even  in  the 
'  old  oaken  bucket '  and  tumbler  in  which  water  has 
stood  for  any  length  of  time  until  a  green  film  has 
gathered  on  their  inner  surfaces.  Scrape  off  some 
of  that  spongy  substance,  as  I  do  from  this  plate  of 
glass,  which  has  been  immersed  for  a  few  days  in  my 
aquarium,  and  then  put  it  under  the  microscope,  and 
we  have  the  green  meadow !  As  with  the  touch  of 
the  magician,  the  slimy  atom  is  converted  into  a 
verdant  parterre,  with  flowers  and  shrubs  and  grassy 

187 


188     GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

margins  of  unrivaled  beauty,  where  some  of  the 
plants  exhibit  conditions  marvelously  akin  to  animal 
attributes.  Through  the  tubular  centres  of  some 
of  them,  little  egg-shaped  atoms  are  seen  chasing 
each  other  in  endless  succession,  with  now  and  then 
some  tremulous  frond  breaking  up  into  short  fila- 
ments or  bursting  open,  out  of  which  pours  a  troop 
of  these  minute  spores,  with  one  or  more  hairy 
appendages,  and  at  once  begin  the  search  for  a  con- 
genial resting-place.  With  our  highest  power  we 
can  see  all  this  taking  place  in  the  specimens  now 
under  our  instruments.  And  what  curious  and 
beautiful  shapes!  Who  would  suspect  that  such 
repulsive  screens  concealed  such  surpassingly  ele- 
gant forms? 

"  But  you  may  ask,  For  what  purpose  do  all  these 
things  exist  ?  The  same  divine  Goodness  that  pro- 
vides the  grass  of  the  fields  for  the  ox  has  made 
these  pastures  of  Conferva  for  the  grazing  of  the 
minute  creatures  of  the  water  drop,  where  snails  may 
crop  their  fill  and  tadpoles  fatten  and  develop  into 
frogs.  Mark  that  monster  Annalid,  with  his  sickle- 
like  jaws,  as  he  mows  a  wide  swath,  tearing  his  way 
through  the  thick  mass  before  him.  Thus  he,  with 
many  other  compeers,  is  fed  by  the  same  Hand  which 
opens  to  give  us  our  daily  bread. 

"  But  it  is  in  an  aquarium  that  you  will  see  this 


GREAT  WONDERS   IN   LITTLE  THINGS.    189 

gracious  provision  most  perfectly  illustrated.  Here 
we  can  watch  the  whole  process  of  the  plant-growth, 
and  mark  its  astonishing  rapidity  of  increase,  with 
the  manner  of  feeding  by  which  its  richness  is  ap- 
propriated. 

"  I  have  a  successful  aquarium  in  operation  con- 
taining about  sixteen  gallons,  which  I  keep  up,  not 
only  for  its  own  beauty,  but  more  expressly  for  the 
purpose  of  having  ever  ready  at  hand  abundant 
means  for  microscopic  study. 


Aquarium. 


"To  see  the  objects  which  it  contains,  it  is  neces- 
sary to  keep  the  glass  clear  from  the  constantly 
growing  conferva,  which  would  soon  shut  -out  all 
observation.  It  would  be  very  troublesome,  and 
much  endanger  the  arrangement  of  the  larger 
plants  requisite  to  its  vitality,  if  it  were  necessary 


190     GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE  THINGS. 


to  scrape  the  sides  of  the  tank  very  often.  God  has 
most  wonderfully  provided  for  this  contingency  by 
furnishing  a  set  of  industrious  scavengers  that  not 
only  keep  the  sides  of  the  aquarium  clear,  but  do 
their  benevolent  work  on  a  much  larger  scale  in 
every  pond,  marsh,  and  cellar,  or  wherever  the  slimy 
accumulations  of  conferva  are  found.  Here,  amid 
the  rich  growth,  the  whole  generation  of  water  snails 
creep  and  crop  to  their  fill.  Often  have  I  watched 
the  clear  pathway  which  a  Lymnea  or  a  Planorbis 
has  made  up  the  sides  of 
the  aquarium,  and  then 
have  seen  it  drop  suddenly 
to  the  bottom  and  start 
again  on  its  cleansing  path- 
way. Not  only  do  they 
eat  up  the  too  abundant 
plant-growth  of  the  water, 
but  also  prey  upon  the 
dead  vegetable  matter  and 
decaying  animal  remains,  and  thus  are  co-workers 
with  many  species  of  animalcules  in  keeping  down 
the  death-breeding  accumulations.  At  low  tide 
their  pathway  is  seen  over  the  rocks  made  bare,  or 
circling  around  every  old  log,  and  along  the  slimy 
bottom  of  the  stream,  where  they  are  always  seen 
making  their  slow  way  toward  the  water. 


Lymnea. 


Planorbis. 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    191 

"But  there  is  another  faithful  worker  in  this 
sanitary  department  of  nature  which  must  not  be 
overlooked.  Here  he  is  in  this  jar  of  water  taken 
from  the  pond  back  of  our  school-house,  where,  sum- 
mer and  winter,  I  find  a  good  supply  for 
my  aquarium.  A  Polliwog  1  Yes,  boys, 
a  'Polliwog,'  or,  to  dignify  him  with  his 
proper  title,  which  he  deserves  for  his  use- 
fulness, a  Tadpole.  Like  the  snail,  this 
embryo  frog  will  climb  up  and  down  the 
glass  sides  of  the  aquarium,  and  ov^r  the 
rock-work  at  the  bottom,  nibbling  off  the 

.  -  .  ,  ,.  ,  Tadpole. 

green   covering    with   an   evident  relish, 
leaving  it  quite  clean.     In  this  state  it  passes  the 
first  summer  of  its  existence,  making  quite  a  large 
increase  in  size,  but  no  change  in  form.     In  the  fol- 
lowing spring,  however,  two   little  legs 
will  begin  to  push  out  just  at  the  root  of 
the  tail,  which  appendage  commences  at 
the  same  time  to  grow  smaller.     Soon  the 
fore  legs  make  their  appearance,  and  thus 
it   continues   to  grow — the  tail   growing 
shorter  as  the  legs  become  longer,  until 
none  of  the  former  is  left,  and  then  look 
out!     To  celebrate  his  deliverance  from 
tails  and  initiation  into  frogdom  he  makes 
his  first  croak,  faintly  at  first,  as  if  fearful  of  prema- 


192     GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE  THINGS. 


ture  exultation,  but  getting  courage  with  each  at- 
tempt, he  climbs  to  the  top  of  the  tank,  perching 
himself  on  the  brink,  and  panting,  as  if  taking  in 
with  a  peculiar  relish  his  first  inspirations  of  pure 
air.     While  thus  seated  he 
keeps  up  a  sly  winking,  as 
though  he  had  just  found  the 
secret  of  escaping  from  close 
v  imprisonment,  and  then,  per- 
haps, with  a  loud  croak,  he 
makes  a  mighty  leap  through 
the  open  windows,  to  seek  a 
congenial  home  in  the  neigh- 
boring pond  to  croak  among 

his  fellows.  In  this  very  manner  I  had  one  escape 
that  I  had  carefully  watched  for  more  than  ten 
months.  I  thought  him  quite  ungrateful  for  all  the 
attention  I  had  lavished  upon  him. 

"  He  is  a  wonderful  and  useful  little  creature,  and 
as  he  does  no  harm,  I  hope  none  of  my  pupils  will 
ever  engage  in  the  cruel  sport  of  stoning  the  poor 
frogs,  nor  in  gathering  up  whole  handfuls  of  tad- 
poles to  scatter  on  the  dry  ground,  as  I  have  seen 
cruel  boys  do.  As  they  are  not  amphibious  until 
they  have  passed  out  of  the  tadpole  state,  they  die  in 
a  very  short  time  when  taken  from  the  water. 

"To  a  certain  extent,  plant-growth  purifies  water, 


GREAT   WONDERS    IN    LITTLE   THINGS.    193 

rendering  it  fit  to  sustain  animal  life  by  impregnat- 
ing it  with  oxygen.  On  this  principle  the  aquarium 
is  constructed,  which  is  but  a  miniature  world. 
Animals  must  have  oxygen  or  vital  air  to  breathe. 
This,  growing  plants  are  constantly  giving  off— a  pro- 
cess beautifully  seen,  whenever  a  sunbeam  penetrates 
the  water,  in  little  pearl  drops  that  gather  on  the 
leaves  of  the  plants  and  go  sparkling  to  the  surface. 
When  oxygen  is  inhaled  by  animals,  carbonic-acid 
gas  is  formed  and  exhaled  as  a  poisonous  compound. 
Unless  neutralized  by  some  counteracting  process,  this 
would  soon  accumulate  in  such  excess  by  the  num- 
ber breathing  it  as  to  be  fatal,  as  was  once  seen  in 
the  celebrated  '  Black  Hole'  in  Calcutta,  where  hun- 
dreds of  prisoners  perished  in  a  single  night.  Now, 
'this  poisonous  element  is  just  what  plants  breathe, 
appropriating  the  carbon  to  build  up  their  textures 
and  returning  the  oxygen  to  the  air  purified  and 
ready  for  the  use  of  animal  life  again.  What  a 
wonderful  provision!  It  illustrates  the  saying  of 
the  Scriptures,  that  in  his  hands  our  breath  is,  for 
God  has  only  to  destroy  vegetable  growth,  and  man 
would  perish  from  off  the  earth. 

"  Now,  the  secret  of  the  aquarium  is  to  find  this 

balance  of  plant  and  animal  life,  so  that  one  shall 

nourish  and  vitalize  the  other ;  but  how  graciously 

is  the  balance  on  our  side !    We  feed  the  plant  with 

17  N 


194     GREAT    WONDERS   IN    LITTLE   THINGS. 

poison,  while  it  returns  the  office  by  depriving  our  gift 
of  its  venom,  and  giving  it  back  to  us  as  the  very 
element  of  our  existence !  By  this  beautiful  provi- 
sion, when  the  happy  medium  is  found,  fish  and 
plants  remain  healthy  for  months  without  any 
change  of  water.  My  custom  is  to  renew  the  water 
every  spring  and  fall — not  that  it  is  absolutely  re- 
quisite to  preserve  my  pets,  but  it  enables  me  to  wash 
the  rock  work  and  gravel,  giving  my  tank  a  more 
cleanly  appearance,  as  the  white  gravel  and  small 
shells  are  freed  from  their  dark  and  slimy  covering. 
Two  well-kept  aquaria,  one  of  salt  and  the  other  of 
fresh  water,  are  among  the  richest  treasures  of  the 
microscopist,  furnishing  him  with  ample  materials 
for  examination  when  winter  has  closed  the  usual 
sources  of  supply.  But  let  us  return  to  our  little 
scavengers. 

"  The  growth  and  multiplication  of  conferva  are 
so  rapid  that,  unless  checked  in  some  way,  the  rank 
vegetable  matter  would  choke  up  all  our  springs 
and  streams,  and  even  our  large  lakes.  I  remember 
seeing  a  canal  in  Ohio  so  completely  filled  up  in 
this  way  that  it  was  very  difficult  of  navigation, 
and  large  sums  were  spent  to  free  it  of  this  ob- 
struction. In  this  instance  there  was  not  the  pro- 
per balance  of  animal  life  to  consume  the  overplus 
of  growth. 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    195 

"But  generally  no  sooner  does  the  young  plant 
start  to  grow  than  the  numerous  and  hungry  ani- 
malcules, with  the  whole  generation  of  water  snails, 
begin  to  crop  these  submerged  pastures,  while  the 
annual  troop  of  tadpoles  greedily  aid  them  in  sub- 
duing the  rank  luxuriance.  Nor  do  these  sanitary 
labors  end  with  keeping  back  the  overgrowth.  When 
the  plants  have  spent  their  vitality,  and  decay  be- 
gins its  work  of  resolving  the  elements  of  their  struc- 
ture, ,our  little  friends  prevent  the  fatal  influences 
which  the  slow  process  might  exert  with  its  miasmic 
exhalations  by  devouring  the  putridity,  and  thus 
rendering  these  elements  immediately  fit  for  the  ap- 
propriation of  a  new  race  of  plants.  Let  us  bless 
God  for  snails  and  tadpoles ! 

"  During  our  examination  we  have  constantly  had 
under  our  glasses  various  forms  of  conferva.  You 
distinguish  them  as  green  fronds  and  branching  clus- 
ters, intermixed  with  egg-shaped  and  ciliated  spores, 
many  of  them  having  a  wavy  or  oscillating  motion, 
while  the  free  spores  are  chasing  each  other  through 
the  tubular  fronds,  or  strangely  swimming  about  with 
all  the  appearance  of  true  animalcules. 

"  The  species  are  too  numerous  to  be  particularized, 
or  even  named,  hence  the  list  which  we  shall  designate 
(Plate  VI.)  contains  only  a  few  of  the  more  cha- 
racteristic, and  of  these  only  a  part  can  receive  even 


196      GREAT    WONDERS    IN    LITTLE    THINGS. 

a  brief  description.  There  will  be  enough,  however, 
to  enable  you  to  distinguish  the  class  from  other 
forms  nearly  identical  which  will  come  under  our 
notice  before  our  examinations  are  closed.  The 
color  is  almost  uniformly  a  pale  green,  varied  to 
darker  or  lighter  shades  as  they  pass  from  one  stage 
of  growth  to  another. 

"  The  Oscillatoria  (Plate  VI.,  Fig.  1)  is  a  very 
remarkable  member  of  this  family,  because  of  the 
singular  wavy  motion  which  it  exhibits,  and  from 
which  its  name  is  derived.  It  is,  as  you  perceive, 
a  cylindrical  filament,  divided  into  short  sections 
by  faintly-marked  rings,  becoming. more  and  more 
striated  as  the  plants  advance  in  age.  After  a 
proper  time  they  easily  break  into  short  fronds,  from 
which  the  active  spores  escape  to  complete  the  work 
of  reproduction. 

"  The  peculiar  motion  noticed  in  this  plant  has 
arrested  the  careful  attention  of  all  observers,  but 
though  more  than  a  century  has  been  devoted  to  the 
investigation,  the  phenomenon  remains  without  a 
satisfactory  explanation. 

"  Observe  the  ends  of  the  filaments,  and  you  will 
perceive  a  motion  much  like  that  of  certain  cater- 
pillars, when,  with  half-raised  bodies,  they  sway  to 
and  fro,  or  saw  up  and  down  with  a  slow  motion. 
At  other  times  the  movement  is  similar  to  that  of  a 


GREAT    WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    197 

balance,  each  end  going  up  and  down  alternately, 
often  accompanied  with  a  slow  progress  in  the  direc- 
tion of  one  of  the  ends.  With  these  interesting  facts, 
it  is  not  surprising  that  some  observers  have  insisted 
on  the  animal  claims  of  the  oscillator ia. 

"  The  Spirogyra  quinina  (Plate  VI.,  Figs.  5— 
12)  is  another  exceedingly  interesting  minute  plant, 
from  the  variety  and  beauty  of  the  transitions 
through  which  it  passes — now  a  crystal  wand  en- 
circled with  an  emerald  wreath  ;  a  piece  of  delicate 
lace  work  or  string  of  brilliants ;  beads  of  oval  form, 
striped  or  dotted  with  green  rosettes,  with  here  and 
there  a  crystal  tube  filled  with  active  little  spores 
seeking  some  avenue  to  freedom.  The  plant  is  a 
rare  one,  and  the  phenomenon  of  its  growth  is  more 
easily  observed  than  most  of  the  species.  Hence  it 
has  always  been  a  favorite  with  the  microscopist. 

"  In  Monostroma  and  Ulva  (Plate  VI.,  Figs.  14 
and  22)  the  escaped  spores  may  be  seen,  with  one  or 
more  cilia,  moving  through  the  water  very  much 
like  some  of  the  monads  which  we  have  had  under 
notice,  with  which  they  were  formerly  classed  by 
some  early  writers.  And  they  certainly  do  bring 
the  animal  and  vegetable  worlds  into  very  intimate 
relations,  when  the  closest  observers  are  scarcely 
able  to  tell  just  where  the  line  of  -  separation  runs. 

".In  all  boggy  meadows  and  shallow  brooks  the 
17* 


198     GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

Staurocarpus  (Plate  VI.,  Fig.  16)  is  found  in  great 
abundance,  easily  distinguished  by  its  graceful  quad- 
rate spores,  found  in  the  cross  branches  produced 
in  the  process  of  conjugation,  constituting  a  beau- 
tiful net-work  of  silver  and  green,  sometimes  spread- 
ing over  all  the  surrounding  objects  or  hanging  in 
fringes  in  the  water. 

"  The  last  example  which  we  shall  particularize 
is  the  one  seen  in  three  phases  of  its  growth  at  the 
lower  right  hand  of  our  collection — the  (Edogonium. 
(Plate  VI.,  Fig.  19.)  There  are  several  varieties 
of  this  plant,  some  of  which  are  the  first  to  make 
their  appearance  in  the  aquarium,  and  are  most 
common  in  our  ponds.  They  may  be  readily  dis- 
tinguished by  the  dense  and  uniform  green  nuclei 
which  they  present,  with  very  faint  lines  between. 
After  a  time  these  break  up,  as  at  a,  and  the  spores 
escape,  possessing  an  unusual  number  of  cilia,  as 
seen  at  b,  while  farther  at  the  right,  c,  the«spore  is 
noticed  enlarged,  developing  into  new  filaments. 

"  When  your  attention  was  first  drawn  to  these 
tangled  masses  of  green  slime,"  continued  Mr.  Wil- 
lard,  "  you  probably  concluded  that  there  was  little 
to  incite  to  careful  research  among  such  unpromising 
materials,  in  which  conclusion,  I  trust,  this  investiga- 
tion has  proved  you  wrong,  and  that  hereafter  these 
slimy  deposits  of  the  ponds,  which  boys  generally 


GREAT   WONDERS    IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    199 

designate  by  the  rather  repulsive  name  of  '  frog 
spittle/  will  have  a  new  and  not  unattractive  inter- 
est. You  may  also  learn  a  very  important  lesson — 
that  sometimes  the  most  repulsive  exterior  may 
hide  qualities  of  the  greatest  excellence.  This  the 
study  of  the  modest  conferva  has  taught  us.  Few 
would  suspect,  when  looking  at  the  slimy,  tangled 
mass  of  fronds  in  the  bog  or  pond,  that  God  had 
arrayed  them  in  the  beauty  which  we  have  just  been 
observing.  Nor  should  we  have  found  this  out  if 
we  had  been  repelled  by  its  loathsome  exterior.  Our 
care  and  patience  have  been  rewarded,  and  henceforth 
we  can  see  a  beauty  where  uninstructed  eyes  will 
look  with  loathing.  To  obtain  such  knowledge  is  a 
blessed  reward  for  our  pains. 

"The  practical  lesson,  my  dear  children,  which 
may  be  derived  from  this  example  of  too  hasty  judg- 
ment, is  that  we  must  exercise  the  same  carefulness 
in  forming  our  opinion  of  character.  Often  great 
wrong  has  been  done  in  judgment  and  treatment  by 
premature  conclusions.  'Man  looketh  on  the  out- 
ward appearance,  but  the  Lord  looketh  on  the  heart/ 
is  a  saying  which  should  always  be  remembered, 
and,  as  far  as  possible,  be  our  rule  of  judgment.  By 
so  doing  we  shall  avoid  many  a  painful  event  which 
would  otherwise  be  a  sting  rankling  all  the  days  of  our 
life.  There  may  be  a  tender  and  sensitive  nature  be- 


200     GREAT    WONDERS   IN    LITTLE   THINGS. 

neath  the  roughest  exterior,  and  to  give  a  new  pang 
through  want  of  proper  observation  is  more  than  a 
mistake — it  is  a  crime.  To  offend  one  such  is  to  in- 
sult God,  according  to  the  teaching  of  the  f  meek  and 
lowly  One/  who  in  this  very  appellation  has  consti- 
tuted himself  the  guardian  of  the  poor  and  humble. 
I  remember  a  fact  illustrating  this  truth. 

"  I  attended  in  my  early  boyhood  a  country  school. 
The  house  was  built  of  logs  plastered  with  mud, 
having  a  broad  fire-place  at  one  end.  The  benches 
were  made  from  split  logs,  with  round  sticks  for  legs, 
without  backs  or  arms.  Here  most  of  the  neighbor- 
ing boys  received  three  months'  schooling  during  the 
winter,  which,  in  most  cases,  constituted  all  the  edu- 
cational advantages  enjoyed. 

"  Among  the  number  gathered  in  this  unpromising 
institution  was  a  'bound  boy'  from  the  county  work- 
house. He  was  unusually  clumsy  and  uncouth,  and 
soon  became  the  butt  of  all  the  school,  and  the  sub- 
ject of  innumerable  practical  jokes,  some  of  an  un- 
usually painful  character,  all  of  which  he  bore  with 
such  patience  as  to  lead  to  the  conclusion  that  he 
was  not  only  a  boor,  but  a  coward  also.  He  never 
rudely  resented  the  ill-treatment,  nor  complained  to 
the  master,  who  was  himself  one  of  the  sterner  mood, 
and  seemed  to  entertain  the  common  impression  of 
the  poor  '  bound  boy.'  Though  not  directly  engaged 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    201 

in  the  sport  of  teasing  '  Clumsy  Joe'— the  name  by 
which  he  was  usually  called — the  fact  that  I  some- 
times laughed  at  his  clumsiness  or  the  rude  tricks 
played  upon  him  is  a  painful  recollection  to  this  day. 
"  Some  few  of  the  scholars  could  see  beneath  the 
rough  exterior,  and  were  impressed  with  the  fact 
that  Joe  had  a  noble  nature  which  was  struggling 
up  into  a  higher  life,  that  nature  strengthened  by  a 
spiritual  apprehension  of  that  great  truth — that  the 
'fear'of  the  Lord  is  the  beginning  of  wisdom.'  He 
loved  the  blessed  Saviour,  and  had  caught  some- 
thing of  his  meekness  of  spirit. 

"  That  you  may  the  more  readily  remember  the  beau- 
tiful example  of  this  rough  hero,  I  have  put  it  into  bal- 
lad form,  and  will  close  this  interview  by  repeating  it: 

"CLUMSY  JOE. 

"  The  school-house  stood  upon  the  green 
Just  where  the  roads  were  crossing ; 
And,  hidden  by  an  alder  screen, 

A  little  brook  was  tossing. 
"  'Twas  built  of  logs  of  river  ash, 

With  clay-beplastered  chinking, 
And,  set  within  the  rustic  sash, 

Four  dusty  panes  were  blinking. 
"  A  jambless  hearth  there  was,  and  broad, 

With  hickory  logs  a-gl owing, 
Where  frosty  hands  and  feet  were  thawed 
When  wintry  winds  were  blowing. 


202     GREAT    WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

"Its  door  on  wooden  hinges  hung, 

With  latch-string  strong  and  ample; 
Such  was  the  gate  we  daily  swung 
To  enter  wisdom's  temple. 

"Its  seats  arranged  with  little  care, 
Which  fathers,  most  discerning, 
Designed  should  teach  one  lesson  there — 
How  hard  the  seat  of  learning. 

"  One  prize  there  was,  exciting  all 

Ambitious  lads  and  lasses — 

• 

The  peerless  seats  against  the  wall 
Where  sat  the  writing  classes. 

"  The  pedagogue  upon  whose  skill 
Our  learning  hung  dependent 
Was  of  the  patronymic  Crane 
A  lineal  descendant. 

"  Capacious  mouth  and  ample  nose, 

With  limbs  of  sharpest  angle, 
Encased  in  nondescriptive  clothes 
That  loosely  round  him  dangle. 

"  Before  the  glowing  fire  he  sat, 

And  trained  his  callow  urchins ; 
Who,  though  they  little  wisdom  gat, 
Yet  surely  gat  the  birchens. 

"  We  gathered  here,  a  double  score, 

From  every  social  station, 
That  he  might  train  with  fostering  care 
The  dawning  inclination. 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE  THINGS.   203 

"But  many  a  poor  and  struggling  wight, 

With  tattered  clothes,  and  mended, 
Found  wisdom's  ways  were  not  so  bright 
When  he  their  steps  attended. 

"And  such  was  Joe,  a  clumsy  lad 

Whom  no  one  loved  or  heeded, 
Whose  kindly  heart  was  ever  glad. 
To  do  a  chore  when  needed. 

"  Encouraged  thus,  tormenting  Joe 

Was  thought  to  be  amusing, 
With  many  a  cruel  kick  and  blow, 
And  other  rough  abusing. 

"  But  though  uncouth  and  overgrown, 

His  letters  scarcely  knowing, 
He  meekly  bore  their  jeering  tone, 
No  signs  of  anger  showing. 

"  For  he  had  learned  what  Jesus  said, 
When  blows  and  scoffs  are  given : 
*  Rejoice,  and  be  exceeding  glad, 
There's  great  reward  in  heaven/ 

"  The  chief  of  all  that  cruel  bard 

So  sorely  once  offended, 
The  master  took  the  rod  in  hand, 
His  utmost  arm  extended. 

"One  scathing  blow  had  stung  with  pain 

That  made  the  victim  quiver, 
And  high  the  rod  was  raised  again, 
Another  to  deliver, 


204     GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

"  When  Joe  stepped  out  and  bravely  said, 

While  off  his  jacket  stripping  : 
*  On  me  let  every  stroke  be  laid  ; 
I'll  freely  take  his  whipping.1 

"  The  master's  rod  fell  by  his  side 

Before  such  brave  appealing, 
While  down  his  cheeks  the  tear  drops  glide, 
Eluding  all  concealing. 

"  The  wondering  school  is  thrilled  with  joy 

That  moistened  every  vision, 
While  there  he  stood,  the  noble  boy, 
So  lately  their  derision  I 

"  And  he  whose  back  escaped  the  smart 

By  such  sublime  atoning 
Confessed  his  base,  unmanly  part, 
His  wickedness  disowning. 

"  No  more  is  heard  of  '  Clumsy  Joe' : 

Beneath  the  outward  seeing 
They  saw  his  nobler  nature  glow, 
Exalting  all  his  being. 

"  In  all  the  wealth  that  man  bestows 
Their  share  was  still  the  greater ; 
They  yet  might  wear  the  finer  clothes, 
But  he  the  finer  nature! 

"  For  every  scholar  owned  that  day 

That  Joe  had  passed  above  him, 
And  from  that  hour  each  one  could  say, 
'  Dear  lad  !  how  much  I  love  him !' " 


jalmelk,  gesmibs,  mtb  ||0lb0riitts. 

18  205 


PLATE    VII. 


PALMELLA,  DESMIDS,  AND  YOLVOCINES. 

FIGUBES 

1.  Palraella  cruenta. 

2.  Human  blood  disks. 
3-13.  Desmids. 

14.  Closteria. 

15.  Volvox  Globater. 

16.  Eudorina  elegans. 

17.  Synura  uvella. 

18, 19.  Protococcus  viridis. 

20.  Pandorina  morum. 

21, 22.  Gonium  pectorale. 
206 


VII. 


rlltt ,  IbMnirls  fttttf  \ol\  'oeitKi . 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

PAL  MEL  LA,  VESMIDS,  AND  VOLVOCINES. 

ONE  immediate  effect  of  the  lecture  on  algse  was 
the  extemporization  of  many  a  rude  aquarium  by 
the  children  until  better  requisites  could  be  obtained. 
Pickle  jars  and  large  bottles  with  the  necks  broken 
off  were  used,  and  happy  indeed  was  the  child  who 
secured  by  parental  favor  a  large  glass  globe  made 
expressly  for  this  purpose.  Ditches  and  ponds  were 
searched  for  sprigs  of  hornwort,  chara,  and  duck  weed ; 
snails  and  tadpoles,  minnows,  and  dace  were  cap- 
tured, and,  with  the  addition  of  a  gold  fish,  some  of 
these  little  tanks  presented  quite  an  attractive  ap- 
pearance. Too  many,  however,  from  overstocking 
their  jars,  had  the  sad  spectacle  of  dead  fish  and 
decaying  plants  to  punish  them  for  their  greediness — 
a  vice  which  generally  carries  its  own  punishment. 

At  the  close  of  the  morning  session  on  the  fol- 
lowing day,  Mr.  Willard  requested  the  boys  to 
obtain  a  jar  or  two  of  water  from  Mr.  George's 
meadow,  where  there  was  a  shallow  ditch  running 
through  overhanging  rushes,  and  filled  with  water- 

207 


208     GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

cress.  The  water  was  quite  clear,  having  its  surface 
covered  with  oxygen  bubbles  when  the  sunshine  was 
hot  upon  it. 

This  commission  was  a  delight  to  the  children, 
and  when  school  adjourned  half  of  them  rushed  to 
the  neighboring  meadow  to  obtain  the  desired  speci- 
mens. In  searching  for  the  clearest  spot  to  dip  up 
the  water  they  came  to  an  old  stump,  whose  roots 
spread  out  in  long  bare  arms,  now  dipping  in  and  ris- 
ing out  of  the  water,  and  covered  with  slime.  But  the 
children  were  almost  horrified  to  notice  that  there 
were  great  patches  of  blood  here  and  there  all  over 
them.  They  supposed  at  first  that  some  animal  had 
been  slaughtered  there,  but  the  more  observing  felt 
sure  that  such  a  proceeding  would  not  leave  the 
blood  scattered  in  such  separate  patches,  and  as  they 
could  not  understand  the  matter,  they  determined  to 
take  some  of  it  to  Mr.  Willard,  who,  they  doubted 
not,  would  be  able  to  give  them  a  satisfactory  ex- 
planation of  the  mystery. 

When  assembled  in  the  afternoon  for  the  usual 
interview,  George  Snow  presented  to  the  teacher  the 
jars  of  water  which  he  had  requested,  and  told  the 
discovery  which  they  had  made. 

" Oh,  Mr.  Willard,"  said  he,  "we  found  an  old 
stump  standing  partly  in  the  ditch,  with  its  roots  all 
covered  with  blood,  and  we've  brought  some  of  it 


GREAT    WONDERS   IN    LITTLE   THINGS.    209 

for  you  to  look  at.  We  couldn't  tell  how  it  got 
there." 

The  teacher  looked  at  the  gelatinous  mass  for  a 
few  moments,  and  then  replied  : 

"Ah,  boys,  wiser  and  older  ones  than  you  have 
been  unable  to  tell  what  this  bloody  mass  is,  or  how 
it  was  scattered  so  profusely  around.  Let  me  give 
you  an  incident  found  in  Dr.  d'Aubigne's  History 
of  the  Reformation,  in  which  you  will  see  that  very 
learned  men  were  made  to  tremble  with  fear  before 
such  a  spectacle.  He  writes :  '  On  the  26th  of  July, 
a  widow,  chancing  to  be  alone  before  her  house  in  the 
village  of  Castelenschloss,  suddenly  beheld  a  fright- 
ful spectacle — blood  springing  from  the  earth  all 
around  her!  She  rushed  in  alarm  into  the  cot- 
tage. .  .  .  But  oh,  horrible !  blood  is  flowing  every- 
where; from  the  wainscot  and  from  the  stones;  it 
falls  in  a  stream  from  a  basin  on  the  shelf,  and  even 
the  child's  cradle  overflows  with  it.  The  woman 
imagines  that  the  invisible  hand  of  the  assassin  has 
been  at  work,  and  rushes  in  distraction  out  of  doors, 
crying,  Murder,  murder!  The  villagers  and  the  monks 
of  the  neighboring  convent  assemble  at  the  cry;  they 
succeed  in  partly  effacing  the  bloody  stains ;  but  a 
little  later  in  the  day,  the  other  inhabitants  of  the 
house,  sitting  down  in  terror  to  eat  their  evening 
meal  under  the  projecting  eaves,  suddenly  discover 
18*  0 


210     GREAT    WONDERS   IN    LITTLE   THINGS. 

blood  bubbling  up  in  a  pond — blood  flowing  from 
the  loft — blood  covering  all  the  walls  of  the  house. 
Blood — blood — everywhere  blood !  The  bailiff  of 
Schenkenberg  and  the  pastor  of  Dalheim  arrive,  in- 
quire into  the  matter,  and  immediately  report  to  the 
lords  of  Berne  and  to  Zwingle.' 

"  Now,  if  this  had  really  been  blood,  it  would  have 
been  a  sufficient  cause  for  all  this  excitement  and 
terror.  But  there  was  no  blood  about  it,  which 
could  easily  have  been  found  out  had  these  men 
been  familiar  with  the  use  of  one  of  these  wonderful 
instruments.  The  substance  which  produced  all 
this  alarm  was  doubtless  the  same  as  that  which  has 
excited  your  imagination,  and  there  is  no  blood 
about  it,  although  to  the  unassisted  eye  it  has  the 
exact  appearance  of  this  fluid  in  a  coagulated  state. 
It  is,  however,  a  well-known  species  of  confervoid 
algae  called  Palmella  cruenta.  (Plate  VII.,  Fig.  1.) 
It  is  very  common  on  damp  walls  and  other  shaded 
places,  and  under  favorable  circumstances  develops 
with  astonishing  rapidity.  It  was  doubtless  such  a  com- 
bination of  circumstances  favorable  to  its  production 
that  caused  the  event  so  horrifying  to  the  Swiss  vil- 
lagers, allowing  some  considerable  latitude  for  their 
over-excited  condition  and  tendency  to  superstition. 
It  appears  at  first  in  rose-tinted  gelatinous  patches, 
which  at  times  spread  with  such  rapidity  as  to  be- 


GREAT   WONDERS    IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    211 

come  confluent,  and  would,  with  the  help  of  a  heavy 
dew  or  slight  mist,  form  little  drippings  from  the 
eaves  and  walls.  It  is  likely  that  this  was  the  full 
extent  of  the  phenomenon  seen  by  the  frightened 
woman ;  the  story  of  the  cradle  dripping  with  gore 
was  either  imaginary  or  caused  by  a  few  stains 
made  by  drops  from  the  ceiling  above. 

"Some  writers  have  supposed  that  the  miracle  of 
the  waters  of  Egypt  turned  into  blood  was  produced 
in  this  Avay,  aided,  perhaps,  by  the  euglena  and  as- 
tasia,  which  have  already  been  noticed.  Most  of 
those  terrible  plagues  were  but  natural  agencies  used 
in  a  supernatural  way,  and  he  who  can  discolor  the 
sea  by  similar  invisible  atoms  could  cause  the  crim- 
son palmella  to  redden  the  Nile  and  other  streams 
of  Egypt  in  a  single  night.  It  requires  but  a  brief 
time  for  them  to  lose  their  bloody  hues,  when  they 
decay  and  fall  to  the  bottom,  enriching  the  soil 
which  they  had  reddened  with  their  dyes. 

"The  celebrated  '  red  snow'  of  the  Arctic  regions 
is  now  generally  attributed  to  the  same  curious  little 
plant.  Captain  Ross,  in  his  voyage,  states  that  he 
found  miles  of  this  red  snow,  extending  to  the  tops 
of  high  mountains  and  buried  many  feet  beneath 
the  surface  of  the  ordinary  snow.  How  wonderful ! 
Its  roots  can  feed  on  eternal  frost,  as  well  as  cleave 
to  the  sun-warmed  surface  of  milder  regions. 


212     GREAT   WONpEKS    IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

"  I  have  said  that  the  microscope  takes  away  all 
the  bloody  terrors  which  this  substance  has  so  often 
excited.  We  can  soon  demonstrate  this  by  putting 
the  two  things  under  its  powers.  The  palmella  thus 
inspected  appears  a  homogeneous  jelly,  in  which  are 
embedded  minute  globular  cells  of  a  beautiful  rose 
color  of  darker  or  lighter  shades.  These  gelatinous 
patches  are  single,  or  run  into  each  other  without 
any  uniformity  of  order.  Now  let  me  change  your 
stump  blood  for  some  taken  from  my  own  veins.  A 
prick  with  the  point  of  my  knife  will  produce  enough 
for  all  our  instruments. 

"  There !  a  single  look  will  show  you  the  radical 
difference.  We  have  now  long  rows  of  half-tilted 
circular  disks,  or,  as  they  are  generally  called,  blood 
corpuscles.  They  have  the  appearance  of  a  pile  of 
five-cent  pieces  toppled  over,  but  not  entirely  sepa- 
rated. Separate  one  of  these  disks  and  turn  it  down, 
and  there  will  be  seen  a  slight  depression  in  the 
centre.  The  blood  disks  of  the  mammalia  are  cir- 
cular and  concave,  while  those  of  fishes,  birds,  and 
reptiles  are  elliptical,  with  flat  or  convex  surfaces. 

"  The  human  blood  (Plate  VII.,  Fig.  2)  is  not,  as 
you  suppose,  of  a  red  color,  any  more  than  the 
waters  of  the  ocean  are  red  or  green  when  they  have 
this  appearance  by  the  infusion  of  millions  of  ani- 
nalcules.  Take  away  the  infusion,  and  the  natural 


GREAT   WONDERS    IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    213 

color  of  the  water  will  be  restored.  So  with  the 
blood,  the  fluid  of  which  is  of  a  pale  yellow  tint,  and 
it  is  the  infusion  of  millions  of  little  red  corpuscles 
that  gives  it  its  sanguine  color.  These  minute 
atoms,  as  we  are  told  by  M.  Bouillet,  a  French  phil- 
osopher, measure  not  more  than  the  three-thousandth 
part  of  an  inch  in  diameter,  and  there  are  more 
than  a  million  in  such  a  drop  of  blood  as  would 
hang  on  the  point  of  a  needle.  This  coloring  matter 
of  the^blood  is  called  hematine. 

"  These  conditions  of  the  blood  put  a  meaning  of 
profound  interest  in  the  declaration  of  the  almighty 
One  when  he  said  to  Cain :  '  The  voice  of  thy 
brother's  blood  crieth  unto  rne  from  the  ground.' 
The  microscope  has  enabled  the  blood  thus  to  speak 
with  a  sure  testimony  against  those  who  dare  wick- 
edly to  shed  it,  and  also  to  tell  the  very  part  of  the 
body  from  which  it  was  taken,  as  the  following  inci- 
dents will  most  strikingly  illustrate : 

"  Some  years  ago  a  man  was  found  murdered  by 
a  terrible  gash  across  the  throat,  and  a  suspected 
individual  arrested,  the  most  suspicious  circum- 
stance being  a  knife  found  in  his  possession  having 
a  number  of  dark  stains  upon  the  blade  evidently 
made  by  blood.  He  accounted  for  them  by  stating 
that  he  had  cut  some  raw  beef  with  it,  and  had 
omitted  to  wash  it.  Now,  had  he  known  the  facts 


214     GREAT   WONDERS    IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

which  we  have  learned,  he  would  not  have  made  a 
statement  so  fatal  to  his  cause.  The  knife  was  ex- 
amined by  an  expert  microscopist,  who  fixed  the 
bloody  nature  of  the  stain.  At  the  same  time  he 
detected  the  falsehood  of  the  prisoner's  statement 
that  they  were  made  from  raw  beef,  for  they  were 
produced  by  the  blood  of  a  living  animal.  The 
drippings  of  dead  flesh  are  watery,  the  blood  being 
dissolved  into  serum,  while  living  blood  coagulates 
very  soon  after  being  exposed  to  the  air.  This  was 
judged  to  be  coagulated  blood.  The  blood  was 
probably  human  blood,  for  it  had  the  clearly-defined 
blood  disks  of  the  size  and  shape  found  in  human 
veins.  It  was  found  mixed  with  cotton  fibres  ex- 
actly corresponding  with  the  neck-handkerchief  of 
the  murdered  man.  And  more  fatal  still  was  the 
existence  of  certain  little  cells  of  a  tesselated  form 
which  are  only  found  in  the  tissues  of  the  throat  and 
bladder.  Thus  step  by  step  the  fatal  evidence  was 
given  by  this  wonderful  witness,  which  sent  the  man 
to  the  gallows  for  his  crime.  His  brother's  blood 
cried  from  the  blade  of  the  assassin's  knife,  and  the 
microscope  gave  it  a  voice  to  bring  vengeance  on 
him  who  used  the  steel  for  the  ruthless  deed. 

"But  there  was  a  case  of  equal  interest  which 
occurred  in  Philadelphia  only  a  few  years  ago.  A 
man  was  found  murdered  and  thrown  on  one  of  the 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN    LITTLE   THINGS.    215 

vacant  squares  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  city.  In 
searching  after  the  facts,  it  was  ascertained  that  he 
was  last  seen  alive  riding  in  a  market  wagon  with  a 
young  man.  As  this  individual  had  no  such  vehicle 
of  his  own,  it  was, evident  that  it  had  been  obtained 
from  some  stable  in  the  neighborhood,  where  it  was 
soon  traced.  In  examining  the  wagon  some  dark 
stains  like  blood  spots  were  found  spattered  on  the 
sides  and  bottom.  To  account  for  these  the  young 
man  said  he  had  been  carrying  some  chickens  to 
market.  Ah,  had  he  known  the  searching  power  of 
our  wonderful  optics,  he  would  never  have  thus  ex- 
posed his  guilt  by  so  fatal  an  attempt  to  conceal  it. 

"God,  who  knew  that  just  such  wicked  devices 
would  be  resorted  to,  when  he  filled  the  veins  of  man 
and  fowl  with  the  blood,  'which  is  the  life'  of  all 
flesh,  ordained  that  it  should  not  only  give  life  when 
running  therein,  but  should  also  testify  against  those 
who  should  wickedly  open  those  veins 
to  let  it  out,  and  so  he  bent  the  circum-      ^  ^ 
ference  of  that  found  in  the  veins  of          ^)(3Q 
the  fowl  into  an  oval,  and  this  fact  re-        fe(fj^> 
vealed   the   wicked    lie   by   which   the 
criminal  sought  to  conceal  his  dreadful  crime.     The 
blood  was  not  chicken  blood,  but  came  from  mam- 
mal veins.     This  was  well  established,  and  the  mur- 
derer went  to  the  gallows. 


216     GREAT    WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

"  Thus,  you  see,  the  microscope  not  only  dissipates 
the  dark  clouds  of  superstition,  lifting  its  horrors 
from  the  heart  of  man,  but  also  puts  a  guard  around 
his  life,  and  points  out  with  fatal  certainty  the 
bloody  steps  of  the  wary  assassin,  which  it  clearly 
traces  out  where  the  naked  eye  is  baffled  and  gives 
up  the  search. 

"  But  we  have  lingered  some  time  over  this  sub- 
ject, though  not  longer  than  its  deep  interest  will 
justify,  and  must  now  pass  to  other  objects  which 
are  awaiting  our  examination.  In  so  doing  we  shall 
reach  a  very  interesting  class  of  microscopic  studies, 
not  only  because  of  their  exceeding  beauty  of  shape 
and  color,  but  from  the  fact  that  it  has  long  been 
discussed  among  the  learned  whether  they  should 
be  included  in  the  animal  or  vegetable  kingdom. 
Like  the  shuttle-cock,  they  have  been  tossed  about 
between  these  two  factions,  now  exalted  to  the  dig- 
nity of  the  animal  race,  only  to  be  the  more  rudely 
thrust  down  again  to  the  green  pastures  of  the  algse 
which  we  have  just  been  considering,  to  serve  for 
food  for  the  order  to  whose  equality  they  had  as- 
pired. 

*'We  will  not  enter  into  this  war  of  races,  nor 
stop  to  discuss  the  pros  and  cons.  Our  purpose  is  to 
wonder  and  enjoy ;  and  be  they  animal  or  vegetable, 
they  are  very  interesting  objects  for  consideration — 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    217 

peculiarly  so  from  the  fact  of  forming  this  perplex- 
ing link  between  the  two  kingdoms.  If  they  are 
animal,  they  excite  our  wonder  and  admiration  by 
their  exceeding  delicacy  of  shape  and  brilliant  colors, 
but  if  belonging  to  the  lower  vegetable  order,  they 
present  the  striking  phenomenon  of  plant  life  en- 
dowed with  an  independent  existence  and  instinctive 
volition,  moving  at  will,  feeding,  propagating,  and 
doing  other  things  which  seem  only  to  belong  to  the 
orders  endowed  with  the  functions  of  animal  life. 
Certainly,  whatever  may  be  the  true  state  of  the 
case,  the  two  races  are  brought  very  near  together 
when  they  are  so  blended  that  it  puzzles  the  most 
learned  to  determine  the  line  of  division.  The 
knowledge  of  this  fact  can  but  enhance  the  pleasure 
of  our  investigation,  during  which,  I  have  no  doubt, 
you  will  be  involved  in  the  same  perplexity  which 
has  befallen  the  learned — now,  being  sure  that  what 
you  behold  is  nothing  but  a  bit  of  minute  algse ;  but 
anon,  as  you  see  the  object  begin  to  roll  or  creep  be- 
fore your  eyes,  you  will  as  positively  affirm  that  it 
can  be  nothing  less  than  an  animal.  So  it  is  more 
than  likely  that  you  will  go  from  the  school-room  to 
perpetuate  the  long-continued  discussion,  while  the 
little  desmid  arid  diatom,  volvox  and  pandorina, 
will  continue  their  life  work,  indifferent  as  to  where 
you  place  them,  it  being  their  vocation  to  fill  the 

19 


218     GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

sphere  which  God  has  assigned  them  in  the  grand 
perfections  of  nature. 

"  Of  this  paradoxical  class  the  Desmids  will  first 
claim  our  attention.  (Plate  VII. ,  Figs.  3-13.)  These 
graceful  objects  are  generally  of  a  bright  grass -green 
color,  often  combined  with  the  most  delicate  edgings 
of  the  purest  crystal  filagree  work.  Long  ribbons 
are  seen  striped,  dotted,  and  figured,  ovals  and  dia- 
monds in  profusion,  sceptres  and  crowns.  In  look- 
ing at  a  fine  grouping  of  these  beautiful  forms,  such 
as  we  now  have  under  our  glasses,  one  can  easily 
imagine  himself  roaming  through  some  ancient  hall 
where  hang  the  princely  shields  and  helmets  of  kings 
and  warriors,  where  gold,  diamonds,  emeralds,  and 
crystals  are  displayed  in  the  greatest  profusion,  inter- 
spersed with  gold  and  green  silken  sashes,  marshals' 
batons,  and  other  insignia  of  kingly  and  knightly 
honors.  Certain  it  is  that  the  reality  of  such  sur- 
roundings could  present  nothing  more  beautiful  than 
the  scene  now  under  our  eyes  in  these  six  drops  of 
water.  We  will  not  bother  ourselves  with  the  long, 
hard  names  of  the  different  varieties  of  the  order 
now  under  our  notice,  as  this  general  view  will 
enable  you  to  distinguish  them  from  the  Diatoms, 
which  we  shall  examine  before  we  close  our  enter- 
tainment. 

"  Desmids  are  plentifully  found  in  all  ponds  and 


GREAT   WONDERS    IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    219 

brooks,  especially  liking  clear,  running  water.  They 
often  so  abound  as  to  cover  the  bottom  of  the  stream, 
and  are  found  thickly  adhering  to  water-plants  and 
decaying  leaves,  so  that  they  are  easily  found  when 
wanted  for  examination.  They  multiply  by  sub- 
division and  conjugation,  and  with  great  rapidity. 
The  subdivision  takes  place  in  the  direction  of  the 
clear  lines  seen  dividing  the  green  sections. 

"  Perhaps  the  most  attractive  of  these  curious 
plant-animals  is  the  well-known  Volvocine,  the  Vol- 
vox  globator  (Plate  VII.,  Fig.  15),  so  called  from  its 
shape  and  peculiar  manner  of  moving  through  the 
water.  This  beautiful  organism  will  illustrate  my 
remark  that  it  is  almost  impossible  to  resist  the  con- 
viction that  we  are  beholding  an  animal,  instinct 
with  life,  when  we  mark  its  graceful  and  independ- 
ent movements.  It  seems  a  degradation  to  class  it 
with  the  motionless  forms  around  it.  It  is  a  minute 
revolving  globe,  with  a  delicate  net-work  enclosing 
the  body,  within  which  are  seen  several  bright  green 
spots,  being  the  young  volvocina  preparing  for  their 
advent  into  the  watery  home.  The  globe  is  about 
one-thirtieth  of  an  inch  in  diameter.  At  the  inter- 
section of  each  mesh  of  the  net-work  two  cilia  are 
attached,  by  means  of  which  its  revolving  motion  is 
produced.  This  motion  is  very  graceful,  now  for- 
ward and  backward,  up  and  down,  or  in  a  circle, 


220     GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

the  green  spots  producing  a  very  beautiful  effect. 
When  these  spots  arrive  at  maturity  they  break  from 
the  parent  cell  and  launch  forth  to  try  their  own 
fortunes.  If  all  this  is  done  by  a  mere  plant,  how 
wondrously  it  must  be  constituted !  We  have  heard 
of  '  climbing  fish'  and  *  live  oats/  but  a  plant  gifted 
with  organs  of  motion  and  instincts  to  use  them, 
flying  here  and  there  as  led  by  whim,  reproducing 
its  young  by  a  bird-like  process,  is  certainly  a  mar- 
velous illustration  of  the  handiwork  of  the  great 
Creator.  During  all  the  warm  months  of  summer 
they  can  be  found  in  places  similar  to  that  from 
which  you  obtained  them  to-day. 

"  Akin  to  this  is  the  more  minute  and  beautiful 
Eudorina  elegans  (Plate  VII.,  Fig.  16),  though  its 
family  relations  are  not  fully  settled  by  the  learned. 
Its  brighter  colors  give  it  a  rich  appearance  as  it 
rolls  through  the  water  with  motions  similar  to  the 
volvox. 

"  The  Synura  uvella,  just  below  this,  is  composed 
of  many  little  yellowish  oval  bodies  united  at  a 
common  centre,  and  pushing  out  until  they  form 
a  globe-shaped  cluster,  revolving  after  the  usual 
fashion  of  the  volvocines.  The  Protococcus  (Figs. 
18,  19)  are  of  similar  habits,  but  much  more  nu- 
merous. 

"  But  here  is  the  active  little  Pandorina  (Plate 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    221 

VII.,  Fig.  20),  which  deserves  a  brief  notice  for  its 
marked  peculiarities.  You  will  observe  that  milky 
gelatinous  mass,  beneath  which  are  seen  several  little 
green  pear-shaped  bodies  twisting  and  turning  to  get 
free,  which  they  accomplish  after  a  while.  This  beau- 
tiful creature  and  the  Gonium  pedorale  (Figs.  21,  22) 
were  included  by  Ehrenberg  among  the  monads,  this 
last  being  a  plate,  hence  called  by  him  Tablet  monads, 
composed  of  sixteen  green  points,  which  after  a  while 
break  up  into  four,  and  then  in  turn  increase  to  the 
same  number  and  again  subdivide.  As  this  occurs 
many  times  in  an  hour,  we  can  conceive  what  incom- 
prehensible numbers  must  be  produced  in  a  few 
days,  and  who  can  estimate  the  product  of  years? 
Their  motion  is  edgewise,  when  they  have  the  ap- 
pearance of  a  long,  thin  figure.  (Fig.  21.) 

"  These  rolling  spheres  glancing  in  the  light  as 
they  move  to  and  fro  add  very  much  to  the  inter- 
est and  beauty  of  microscopic  examinations.  And 
what  a  stretch  of  creative  power,  from  an  invisible 
globe  to  its  sublime  compeer  circling  the  immeasur- 
able depths  of  the  starry  heavens !  Yet  the  same 
God  is  seen  in  the  minuteness  of  the  one  and  in 
the  incomprehensible  magnitude  of  the  other,  and 
man  could  as  easily  build  up  the  sublime  structures 
of  the  skies  as  fashion  the  delicate  and  invisible 
mote-life  of  the  drop  of  water. 
19* 


222     GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

"By  varying  the  light  thrown  on  the  glass  illu- 
minator some  enchanting  transformations  are  pro- 
duced while  observing  these  volvocines.  A  little 
change,  and  they  are  a  disk  of  crystal  studded  with 
emeralds,  and  anon  with  topaz ;  then  the  crystal 
fades  away,  and  we  have  a  system  of  beautiful  green 
plants  pursuing  their  mazy  dance  in  perfect  harmony 
and  order.  The  picture  is  perfectly  enchanting,  and 
I  have  often  been  held  spellbound  by  its  marvelous 
attractions. 

"We  must  not  dismiss  our  present  subject  without 
paying  a  passing  notice  to  the  beautiful  family  of 
Closleria.  (Plate  VII.,  Fig.  14.)  It  is  easily  distin- 
guished by  its  golden  green  crescent  form,  spotted 
and  striped  with  great  delicacy.  It  is  very  abundant 
in  all  ponds  where  plants  are  found  growing,  and 
you  have  only  to  scrape  the  leaves  of  a  bit  of  duck 
weed  to  obtain  these  pretty  objects  for  examination. 
They  multiply  by  subdivision,  the  separation  tak- 
ing place  just  where  you  see  a  band  dividing  the 
parent  in  the  centre — a  process  which  is  constantly 
going  on. 

"  It  has  been  ascertained  by  those  who  have  care- 
fully observed  the  Closteria  with  a  very  high  power 
that  it  is  ciliated  and  possesses  the  power  to  "move 
by  very  slow  degrees,  and  will  thus  bury  itself  in 
the  mud  if  given  sufficient  time  to  accomplish  the 


GREAT    WONDERS    IN    LITTLE   THINGS.    223 

feat.     On  this  fact  has  been  based  its  claims  to  a 
place  in  the  animal  kingdom. 

"But  our  hour  is  more  than  expired,  and  we  must 
close  our  interview,  reserving  the  Diatoms  for  our 
next  exhibition." 


225 


PLATE    VIII. 

FORMS  OF  LIVING  DIATOMS. 

226 


Living  Diatoms. 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

LIVING  DIATOMS. 

THE  children  were  exceedingly  interested  in  the 
last  exhibition.  The  beautiful  volvocines  called 
forth  their  highest  admiration,  little  Nettie  Newton 
declaring  that  they  were  the  prettiest  things  she  had 
ever  seen  in  her  life. 

"  Just  think,"  said  she  to  her  papa,  "  of  a  beauti- 
ful green  and  golden  globe  floating  through  the  air ; 
wouldn't  it  be  splendid  ?  Well,  we  saw,  oh !  so 
many  in  a  drop  of  water;  some  were  green,  and 
some  were  red  and  yellow,  and  they  went  rolling 
about  in  the  funniest  manner.  I  never  did  see  any- 
thing so  beautiful." 

"Why,  daughter,  not  when  you  looked  in  the 
glass  ?"  replied  the  father,  with  a  quiet  smile. 

"  Now,  papa,  don't  tease  me,"  replied  the  daugh- 
ter ;  "  I'm  not  a  globe,  or  beautiful  either.'" 

"That  may  be,  but  I  very  often  detect  two  bright 
blue  globes  peeping  into  the  looking-glass,"  re- 
sponded the  doctor,  "  and  I  wonder  what  they  are 

227 


228     GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

gazing  at  so  long  sometimes,  unless  at  my  little 
Nettie  ?" 

"  Why,  of  course  people  have  to  look  into  the 
glass  sometimes.  But,  papa/'  continued  Nettie, 
"  Mr.  Willard  told  us  how  people  have  been  fright- 
ened at  what  they  thought  was  blood  running  out  of 
the  ground,  when  it  wasn't  blood,  but  a  little  plant; 
and  then  he  showed  us  some  real  blood,  and  they 
were  not  alike  at  all.  He  showed  us  some  chickens' 
blood,  and  told  us  how  men  had  been  hung  because 
their  guilt  had  been  found  out  by  the  microscope. 
It  was  a  good  deal  nicer  than  a  real  made-up  story. 
I  just  wish  you  could  have  heard  it." 

"  Well,  well,  my  daughter,"  replied  the  gratified 
father,  "  I  am  glad  you  have  had  such  a  nice  time, 
and  have  profited  so  much.  I  should  have  enjoyed 
the  occasion  very  much,  I  have  no  doubt,  although 
I  have  witnessed  many  such  things,  and  was  present 
on  one  occasion  when  a  man  was  convicted  of  murder 
by  the  aid  of  the  microscope." 

"  But,  papa,"  continued  the  daughter,  "  do  you 
think  Mr.  Willard  could  tell  the  difference  if  the 
blood  of  men  and  chickens  were  mixed  all  up  to- 
gether? Some  of  the  boys  don't  believe  he  can,  and 
are  going  to  bother  him  by  bringing  some  to  school 
to-morrow.  I  hope  he  can,  for  I  don't  want  him 
teased." 


GREAT    WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    229 

"I  guess,'7  replied  the  doctor,  "you  need  borrow 
no  trouble  on  that  score ;  Mr.  Willard  will  come  out 
all  right." 

"Oh,  I'm  so  glad/'  exclaimed  Nettie,  "  for  I  do 
love  him  so  much,  for  he  just  tries  all  the  time  to 
make  us  children  happy. " 

As  Nettie  intimated,  some  of  the  boys  doubted 
their  teacher's  ability  to  distinguish  between  the 
blood  of  different  animals  when  mixed  together,  and 
had  determined  to  put  it  to  the  test  at  their  next 
interview,  by  producing  some  blood  from  their  own 
veins  mixed  with  that  of  chickens. 

Accordingly,  when  ready  the  next  afternoon,  their 
proposed  test  was  produced,  and  Mr.  Willard  was 
asked  to  tell  to  what  animal  the  blood  belonged. 
To  this  request  he  cheerfully  yielded,  not  know- 
ing the  object  which  the  boys  had  in  view,  and 
even  had  he  understood  this  it  would  have  made  no 
difference,  as  it  would  have  furnished  him  with  a 
good  opportunity  to  teach  them  a  more  impressive 
lesson.  As  it  was,  he  was  only  too  willing  to  gratify 
his  dear  pupils.  Putting  the  blood  under  one  of  the 
higher  powers,  he  examined  it  for  a  few  moments 
with  great  care,  and  then  said  : 

"  I  perceive  that  some  of  you  have  been  preparing 
a  test  for  me.  This  blood  is  mixed,  being  composed 
of  mammal  and  chicken  blood-disks.  This  would 

20 


230     GREAT    WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

not  likely  occur  except  from  design.  Be  this  as  it 
may,  I  am  quite  ready  to  give  you  this  new  test  of 
the  truthfulness  of  our  little  brass  witness.  The 
human  tongue  may  utter  falsehoods,  but  this  witness, 
never.  We  may  not  always  be  able  to  interpret  its 
testimony,  but  it  will  always  be  given  with  the 
strictest  exactness,  nor  can  it  ever  be  bribed  or 
perplexed  by  cross-examinations." 

Little  Nettie  was  in  ecstasies  at  the  emphatic 
triumph  of  Mr.  Willard,  nor  did  the  doubters  after 
that  cherish  any  more  thoughts  of  perplexing  their 
teacher.  They  were  well  convinced  that  when  he 
made  an  assertion  he  could  make  it  good. 

When  this  little  episode  was  concluded,  Mr.  Wil- 
lard introduced  the  topic  of  the  hour  by  saying : 

"  It  was  stated  in  our  last  interview  that  the  dia- 
toms have  shared  with  the  desmids  in  the  struggle 
to  preserve  a  place  among  the  animal  races.  This 
they  have  done  with  a  larger  measure  of  success,  as 
the  majority  of  ablest  writers  insist  on  their  just 
claims  to  this  honor,  and  undoubtedly  with  a  vast 
preponderance  of  facts  on  their  side.  But  as  a  set- 
tlement of  this  vexed  question  does  not  come  within 
the  compass  of  our  aims,  we  will  leave  it  for  other 
persons  to  adjust,  and  consider  the  diatoms  as  they 
appear  to  us;  and  an  interesting  study  we  shall  find 
them,  from  the  peculiar  beauty  of  their  shapes,  delicate 


GREAT    WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    231 

external  markings  and  bright  silicious  shells.  They 
appear  everywhere,  and  though  the  period  of  their 
life  may  be  very  brief,  yet  the  indestructibleness  of 
their  shells  gives  them  a  perpetual  record ;  hence  the 
present  living  races  are  linked  back  to  the  first-born 
of  life.  Mammoth  and  mastodon  have  passed  away, 
leaving  nothing  but  a  few  scattered  wrecks  of  their 
former  existence,  but  the  living  diatom  of  to-day 
moves  among  the  monuments  of  his  departed  ances- 
tors, sweeping  back  to  the  Deluge  and  beyond  its 
swelling  floods,  even  before  the  mountains  were  up- 
heaved from  their  watery  chambers.  We  can, 
therefore,  but  look  upon  them  with  increased  won- 
der ;  they  are  not  only  minute  and  surpassingly  beau- 
tiful, but  most  ancient,  tracing  their  lineage  farther 
back  than  any  other  family  of  earth.  They  come 
down  to  us  without  a  break  in  their  descent,  and 
what  they  were  when  Adam  lived  they  appear  before 
us  now.  No  development  has  changed  their  forms, 
nor  cast  off  their  beautiful  shells  for  scales  or  wings, 
nor  given  them  legs  to  creep.  Darwin  would  find 
but  poor  confirmation  of  his  favorite  theory  by  call- 
ing the  little  diatom  to  the  witness  stand. 

"  The  diatom  is  composed  of  two  symmetrical 
plates  or  valves,  in  some  instances,  as  in  the  Navi- 
cula,  shaped  like  a  small  boat.  They  are  sometimes 
joined  together  lengthwise,  stretching  out  like  a 


232     GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

long  flowing  ribbon,  from  which  they  break  one 
after  another  and  go  creeping  slowly  away.  Other 
species  grow  in  tree-shaped  clusters  or  loose-jointed 
branches,  with  broad  fan-shaped  leaves.  Long 
chains  of  square  or  oblong  links,  curiously  joined 
at  the  corners,  are  scattered  about,  with  golden  cir- 
cles, ovals,  diamonds,  crescents,  stars,  sceptres,  and 
little  boats  mingled  together  in  the  same  drop  of 
water. 

"  But  whatever  may  be  the  outward  shapings  of 
these  ancient  families,  they  all  follow  the  one  great 
law  of  disintegration,  scattering  widely  to  serve  the 
great  purpose  of  their  Creator,  who  honored  them 
with  an  existence  long  before  man  came  from  his 
moulding  hand. 

"  This  fact  accounts  for  the  vast  numbers  of  these 
little  boat-shaped  objects  which  we  see  slowly  cross- 
ing the  field  of  our  instruments.  When,  during  their 
progress,  they  chance  to  touch  each  other,  they  sud- 
denly slide  themselves  together,  often  forming  little 
clusters,  as  though  they  were  enjoying  a  few  mo- 
ments' social  intercourse.  They  are  the  most  widely 
diffused  of  all  forms  of  infusorial  life,  living  alike 
in  fresh  or  salt  water,  in  pure  streams  or  dark 
morass,  growing  to  plants  or  crawling  on  the  slimy 
bottom.  They  are  said  by  some  to  have  the  cilia  at 
both  ends,  and  projecting  also  from  four  minute 


GREAT    WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    233 

holes  in  the  middle  of  the  shell.  These  phenomena 
can  be  seen  only  with  instruments  of  very  high 
power  and  careful  watching.  They  are  so  numerous 
as  often  to  impart  their  color  to  the  aquatic  plants 
to  which  they  are  attached,  although  individually 
so  small  as  to  remain  wholly  invisible  to  the  unas- 
sisted eye;  seen,  yet  not  seen,  everywhere,  yet 
observed  nowhere,  except  under  the  microscope. 

"This  branch  of  microscopic  study  is  just  now 
exciting  renewed  and  more  careful  attention,  and  it 
is  not  to  be  wondered  at,  for  the  exceeding  beauty 
of  the  diatom  ever  delights  the  eye,  while  their  uni- 
versal diffusion,  and  the  important  part  they  serve 
in  building  up  the  natural  and  artificial  monuments 
of  the  earth,  will  ever  strike  the  mind  with  wonder. 
So  universally  spread  through  all  lands,  and  so  an- 
cient, they  are  designed,  no  doubt,  to  work  a  most 
important  result  in  the  economy  of  nature.  But 
how  long  they  toiled  unknown  and  unthanked! 
Yet  they  ceased  not  in  working  out  their  mission, 
and  when  each  one  had  finished  its  life-work,  it  left 
its  beautiful  shell  as  a  monument  to  tell  of  its  in- 
dustry. 

"  These  beautiful  objects  are  found  enjoying  their 
brief  life  in  all  waters,  even  the  clearest,  but  most 
abundant  in  salt  water,  especially  in  all  shallow  col- 
lections left  by  the  tide  in  salt  meadows  and  pools. 
20* 


234     GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

From  these  places  they  can  be  taken  by  millions, 
possessing  the  most  perfect  and  beautiful  forms.  To 
their  presence  is  mainly  owing  the  yellowish  tint 
which  these  waters  always  wear.  They  can  be  ob- 
tained also  in  great  quantities  by  scraping  the  sub- 
merged posts  and  planking  of  the  docks,  or  the 
slimy  stones  in  brooks  and  rivers.  Indeed,  you  will 
hardly  miss  them  wherever  you  may  seek,  for  they 
are  always  present  where  moisture  is  found.  From 
their  giving  off  minute  bubbles  of  oxygen  from  the 
little  holes  seen  in  the  centre  of  their  shells,  they 
often  come  to  the  surface  of  the  water  and  float  as 
a  yellowish-brown  scum,  and  will  be  found  in  the 
yeasty  accumulation  on  the  shore  after  a  hot  day  in 
summer. 

"  The  epicure  of  oysters  may  not  be  aware  that 
with  every  delicate  mouthful  he  swallows  he  de- 
vours hundreds  of  these  minute  molluscs. 

"To  show  how  indestructible  the  diatoms  are,  it 
may  be  observed  that  they  are  found  equally  in  the 
coldest  regions  of  the  North  and  the  hottest  of  the 
tropics;  they  will  even  pass  through  the  fire,  yet 
retain  their  perfection  of  outline,  though  the  life 
will  be  extinct,  the  frustules  being  pure  silica. 

"  Since  the  animal,  as  we  have  no  doubt  it  is,  is 
constantly  undergoing  rapid  growth  and  subdivision, 
it  would  seem  God's  great  laboratory  for  the  produc- 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE  THINGS.    235 

tion  of  this  important  mineral,  considered  one  of  the 
primitive  earths.  It  is  but  another  instance  show- 
ing how  his  creative  power  works  out  the  greatest 
results  from  the  smallest  beginnings,  hidden  in  the 
remotest  causes.  He  begins  with  a  diatom  the  one 
hundred  and  thirty  thousandth  part  of  an  inch  in 
size,  and  ends — where? 

"  In  Dr.  Griffith's  Microscopic  Dictionary  there  is 
a  catalogue  of  one  hundred  distinct  varieties  of 
diatoms,,  while  we  have  under  our  instruments  only 
a  little  above  thirty.  (Plate  X.)  A  scientific  Ger- 
man has  taken  this  list  of  Dr.  Griffith's  and  per- 
formed one  of  the  greatest  wonders  ever  witnessed 
in  scientific  manipulation.  We  must  remember  that 
all  these  forms  of  diatoms  are  exceedingly  minute, 
and  cannot,  therefore,  be  handled  by  any  instrument 
but  what  must  be  many  times  larger  than  they  are. 
Yet  this  man  has  placed  them  in  the  exact  order  of 
their  classification,  in  ranks  with  as  much  regularity 
as  soldiers,  and  all  in  the  space  which  would  be 
covered  by  a  ten-cent  piece ! 

"How  he  accomplished  this  is  a  wonder,  and  we 
need  not  be  surprised  that  the  little  glass  slide  on 
which  they  are  mounted  cost  the  sum  of  forty  dol- 
lars at  the  shops.  The  man  must  be  possessed  of 
remarkable  skill  and  patience  to  have  achieved  such 
a  marvel  of  science  and  mechanism. 


236     GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 


"  It  may  seem  a  little  tedious  to  watch  some  of 
these  tiny  creatures  as  with  slow  movements  they 
push  across  the  drop  of  water,  but  it  will  repay 
those  who  have  the  patience  to  do  it.  The  study 
will  go  far  to  convince  any  one  of  the  animal  nature 
of  the  diatom,  when  it  is  observed  with  what  prompt- 
itude it  turns  aside  from  any  obstacle  which  may 
impede  its  progress,  perhaps  with  a  sudden  jerk  to 
the  right  or  left.  Dr.  Hogg  states  that  he  has 
watched  the  process  attentively,  and  is  fully  satis- 
fied that  their  motive 
power  is  derived  from 
cilia,  so  arranged  at 
either  end  and  from 
the  little  opening  in 
the  middle  as  to  act 
as  oars  or  paddles. 
This  fact,  in  his  opin- 
ion, settles  their  ani- 
mal relations.  We  can  plainly  observe  the  move- 
ment, though  our  power  is  not  sufficient  to  reveal 
the  cilia. 

"  The  diatom  possesses  a  marked  interest  to  the 
scientific  microscopist  as  a  test  object. 

"  It  is  known  that  certain  species  of  the  diatoms 
have  a  specific  measurement  and  peculiar  markings 
which  can  be  seen  only  by  the  use  of  a  certain 


Diatoms  in  Motion. 


GREAT   WONDERS    IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    237 

magnifying  power.  When,  therefore,  an  undefined 
power  is  to  be  fixed,  one  of  these  little  shells  is  put 
under  the  glass,  and  its  power  is  readily  rated.  It 
requires  one  hundred  and  thirty  thousand  of  one 
species  of  these  little  creatures  to  fill  the  diameter 
of  an  inch,  and  thirty  thousand  of  the  largest. 

"  Their  color  varies  from  the  brightest  yellow  to 
a  dingy  brown,  but  yellow  being  the  predominant 
shade,  they  give  this  tinge  to  the  leaves  of  plants  on 
which  they  abound. 

"  The  markings  of  some  varieties  are  exceedingly 
beautiful,  the  body  often  being  of  a  pearly  white- 
ness, dotted  here  and  there  with  yellow,  red,  and 
green,  or  traced  in  elegant  scroll  work  or  graceful 
circles  and  lace-work  edgings.  Occasionally  one 
will  be  seen  attached  to  some  sprig  of  algse  by  a 
long  staff,  with  the  top  spread  out  like  the  yellow 
flag  of  a  military  hospital. 

"  As  we  disposed  of  the  desmids,  in  like  manner 
we  shall  not  stop  to  name  and  describe  each  of  the 
hundred  diatoms  which  have  been  classified,  but 
having  presented  the  class  in  general  outline,  leave 
you  to  learn  their  technicalities  when  you  are  better 
prepared  to  acquire  and  understand  them.  From 
the  view  given,  you  will  be  able  to  distinguish  them 
from  the  other  curious  things  met  with  in  future 
microscopic  examinations. 


238      GREAT   WONDERS    IN    LITTLE   THINGS. 

"Here  we  must  close  our  investigations  of  the 
strange  forms  of  life  found  teeming  in  the  little 
world  of  water  which  we  have  so  long  and  profitably 
had  before  us,  although  we  have  scarcely  touched 
its  miraculous  borders. 

"  But  the  things  having  life  are  only  a  tithe  of  the 
hidden  treasures  which  can  be  searched  out.  The 
animated  atoms  that  ' people  the  sunbeam'  and 
swarm  in  the  rain-drop  are  as  nothing  compared  to 
the  infinite  number  whose  sepulchres  are  the  ever- 
lasting hills  and  the  islands  of  the  mighty  deep. 
The  dead  are  everywhere  in  the  rock-ribbed  earth. 
On  them  the  foundations  of  the  mountains  are  laid. 
By  their  accumulation  the  beetling  cliffs  are  heaped 
up  along  the  ocean's  shore  to  stay  the  marching 
desolation  of  its  restless  waves.  They  filter  through 
the  air  on  the  wings  of  every  wind,  dropping  on  the 
hungry  soil  to  give  it  fertility ;  they  underlie  cities 
and  continents ;  they  are  built  up  into  palaces  and 
pyramids ;  omnipresent  on  earth,  yet  individually 
invisible  to  the  sharpest  unaided  vision. 

"  In  searching  the  vast  burial-places  of  the  infini- 
tesimal dead,  we  shall  find  objects  of  equal  interest  to 
those  revealed  in  the  living  millions  that  have  moved 
before  us  in  the  drop  of  water,  except  in  the  greatest 
of  all  mysteries — life !  We  can  but  see  their  out- 
ward shapings  and  guess  at  the  manner  of  life  which 


GREAT    WONDERS    IN    LITTLE   THINGS.    239 

they  once  enjoyed.  The  vast  earth  their  death  has 
helped  to  build  up,  and  in  a  large  degree  fitted  for 
the  dwelling-place  of  a  higher  order  of  beings  who 
should  come  after  them.  In  all  and  through  all 
these  wonderful  mutations  we  can  trace  the  same 
wisdom  and  power  working  out  the  beneficent  pur- 
poses of  God,  often  most  gracious  when  his  vast  de- 
signs are  deepest  hidden  from  our  observation — hid- 
den not  always  behind  that  which  is  incomprehen- 
sible from  its  vastness,  but  concealed  by  the  very 
minuteness  of  the  agency  which  he  employs.  It  is 
often  as  true  in  nature  as  in  spiritual  things  that  God 
chooses  'things  that  are  despised,  and  things  that  are 
not,  to  bring  to  naught  things  that  are,'  and  for  the 
same  impressive  purpose — '  that  no  flesh  should  glory 
in  his  presence.'  We  sow  our  broad  acres  of  grain, 
but  a  little  fly  eats  out  its  life ;  plant  our  orchards, 
and  the  sting  of  a  minute  bug  turns  our  fruit  to  rot- 
tenness ;  build  our  houses  and  barns,  and  a  spark  of 
fire  turns  them  to  ashes.  Can  we  fail  to  comprehend 
these  lessons  ?  '  Thou  fool,  so  is  every  one  who  is 
not  rich  toward  God.'  We  must  see  God  in  every- 
thing, and  revere  him  everywhere. 

"  With  him  a  hair  is  as  omnipotent  as  a  chain  of 
linked  worlds.  The  strength  is  in  neither,  but  in 
God,  who  works  through  them.  He  can  hide  his 
face  and  his  favor  behind  that  which  is  most  minute, 


240     GREAT   WONDERS   IN    LITTLE   THINGS. 

as  well  as  withdraw  the  sun  from  the  heavens  and 
shroud  all  in  blackness. 

'  Deep  in  unfathomable  mines 

Of  never-failing  skill, 
He  treasures  up  his  vast  designs 
And  works  his  sovereign  will !' " 


fossil  Knfus0r«. 


21 


Q  241 


CHAPTER   XV. 

FOSSIL   INFUSORIA. 

WHEN  the  school  was  again  assembled  for  the 
coveted  hour's  enjoyment,  it  was  noticed  that 
the  bottles  out  of  which  so  many  wonderful  things 
had  been  taken  had  disappeared,  being  replaced  by 
the  little  boxes  and  a  large  number  of  glass  slides, 
on  which  were  mounted  objects. 

Mr.  Willard  began  his  lecture  by  saying : 
"You  may  have  wondered  why  I  desired  you  to 
procure  these  boxes  of  marl,  chalk,  rotten-stone,  and 
similar  substances :  this  afternoon  will  explain  my 
purpose.  In  our  examination  of  the  coral  polyps  we 
learned  what  mighty  structures  they  have  built  up 
in  the  ocean,  but  their  dwellings  are  the  result  of 
ages  of  persevering  activity.  When  dead,  they  are 
either  absorbed  into  the  mass  of  their  building  or 
dissipated  into  the  elements,  leaving  no  perceptible 
addition  to  the  superstructures  which  they  were  rais- 
ing. Not  so  with  the  Fossil  Infusoria,  which  we  are 
to  examine  this  afternoon.  These  minute  shells, 
when  left  tenantless  by  the  death  of  the  inmate, 

243 


244     GEEAT   WONDERS   IN    LITTLE   THINGS. 

added  with  each  generation  a  new  layer  to  the  foun- 
dation which  the  sepulchres  of  their  ancestors  began, 
and  which,  accumulating  through  thousands  and 
thousands  of  years  by  imperceptible  degrees,  have 
become  gigantic  and  sublime  in  their  magnitude.  It 
would  be  a  fact  beyond  belief,  were  it  not  demon- 
strated by  unmistakable  evidence,  that  the  mighty 
Andes,  rearing  their  heads  above  the  clouds,  tower- 
ing more  than  twenty-five  thousand  feet  above  the 
level  of  the  sea,  are  largely  the  heaped- up  remains 
of  the  most  minute  animalcules — not  a  valley  of  dry 
bones,  but  a  vast  mountain  of  the  dead.  And  not 
only  have  they  helped  to  pile  up  the  Andes,  but 
stretched  out  mighty  beds  of  slate  in  Austria  and 
Africa,  known  as  tripoli  when  ground  to  powder  ; 
reared  the  chalk  hills  along  the  coast  of  England, 
and  laid  the  foundations  of  Paris  in  France,  of 
Richmond  and  Petersburg,  and  many  other  places 
in  our  own  country.  They  are  built  into  the  pyra- 
mids of  Egypt  and  temples  of  the  Nile,  whose  fertile 
•waters  also  bear  them  from  the  mountains  of  Central 
Africa  and  the  desert  sands  to  fertilize  its  banks  at 
the  annual  overflow.  Nor  need  we  go  so  far  from 
home  to  find  these  populous  cities  of  the  dead :  the 
ground  on  which  we  tread  in  coming  and  going  to 
school  is  full  of  them ;  nor  is  there  likely  a  spot  on 
the  broad  face  of  the  earth  where  the  foot  can  be 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE  THINGS.    245 

placed  without  resting  on  millions  of  the  dead.  The 
language  of  our  great  moralizing  poet  is  not  only 
beautiful  but  true : 

1  The  golden  sun, 

The  planets,  all  the  infinite  host  of  heaven, 
Are  shining  on  the  sad  abodes  of  death 
Through  the  still  lapse  of  ages. 

'All  that  tread 

The  globe  are  but  a  handful  to  the  tribes 
That  slumber  in  its  bosom.     Take  the  wings 
Of  morning,  and  the  Barcan  desert  pierce, 
Or  lose  thyself  in  the  continuous  woods 
Where  rolls  the  Oregon,  and  hears  no  sound 
Save  its  own  dashings,  yet  the  dead  are  there; 
And  millions  in  those  solitudes,  since  first 
The  flight  of  years  began,  have  laid  them  down 
In  their  last  sleep :  the  dead  reign  there  alone !' 

"  If  this  language  can  be  applied  to  man's  monu- 
ments of  mortality,  how  much  more  so  to  the  thou- 
sands of  species  which  mark  the  descending  scale 
from  him  to  the  minute  diatom ! 

"  The  marl  beds  of  New  Jersey  are  rich  with  these 
accumulations,  mostly  in  the  form  of  shells,  called 
Foraminifera.  In  this  yellow  specimen  of  marl  ob- 
tained by  you  we  can  detect  many  of  these  shells 
with  the  unassisted  eye,  perfect  as  those  found  on 
the  sea  shore,  in  which  state,  however,  they  will  re- 

21  * 


246     GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE  THINGS. 

main  but  a  short  time,  as  they  soon  slack  like  lime 
and  crumble  to  dust.  But  when  we  have  picked 
out  all  that  the  eye  can  detect,  put  the  remainder 
under  the  glass,  and  thousands  more  will  be  easily 
found  more  rare  and  beautiful.  These  minute 
forms  are  not  confined  to  the  dry  land,  but  more 
largely  abound  in  the  ocean.  We  are  told  that  a 
cubic  inch  of  the  stone  from  which  the  tripoli  is 
made  weighs  two  hundred  and  twenty  grains,  and 
contains  no  less  than  forty  thousand  millions  of  dis- 
tinct organic  forms — minute  shells ;  but  in  making 
soundings  for  the  Atlantic  telegraph  a  little  sedi- 
ment was  brought  up  from  the  bottom  of  the  deep 
sea,  and,  when  dried,  was  found  to  be  a  dust  so  fine 
that  when  rubbed  between  the  fingers  it  would  dis- 
appear in  the  pores  of  the  skin.  Yet  on  placing 
this  powder  under  the  microscope,  this  almost  im- 
palpable dust  was  found  to  be  composed  of  perfect 
shells,  with  the  little  holes  through  which  the  ten- 
tacles of  the  extinct  rhizopod  once  protruded.  These 
shells  are  found  in  all  geological  periods  as  we  go 
down  into  the  strata  of  the  rocks  or  depths  of  the 
sea.  Who  can  help  exclaiming,  '  O  Lord,  how  won- 
derful are  thy  works!' 

"  In  order  to  see  these  shells  in  perfection,  the 
chalk  or  marl  must  be  washed,  and  the  object 
mounted,  as  it.  is  called — that  is,  placed  on  one  of 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    247 

these  glass  slides.  I  have  a  number  of  them  thus 
prepared  which  I  will  now  place  under  the  instru- 
ment for  your  inspection. 


Foraminifera . 


"  Like  the  diatom,  the  Foraminifera  have  their 
living  generations  linking  the  present  with  the  re- 
motest past.  Of  the  great  beauty  of  the  living  race 


248     GREAT   WONDERS   IN    LITTLE   THINGS. 

you  have  had  a  glimpse  in  the  minute  wonders  of 
the  sea.  (Plate  V.,  Figs.  1-5.) 

"  There  is  an  interesting  species  of  these  shells 
called  Nummulites,  or  coin  stones,  of  which  the 
blocks  of  stone  built  into  the  great  pyramids  of 
Egypt  are  mainly  composed.  The  chalk  hills  of 
England  are  particularly  rich  with  these  deposits. 
It  was  at  first  believed  that  chalk  and  flints  were 
formed  by  the  rushing  of  heated  water  largely  im- 
pregnated with  l}me  and  silica  into  the  colder 
waters  of  the  ocean,  and  precipitated  by  chemical 
affinity.  It  is  shown  by  our  wonderful  instruments 
that  this  theory  is  wholly  wrong.  These  substances 
are  of  animal  origin.  Chalk,  marl,  flints,  marble, 
tripoli,  opal,  and  semi-opal  are  all  found  in  the 
same  wonderful  manner.  The  fact  is  astounding, 
yet  most  palpable,  that  a  very  large,  if  not  the 
largest,  portion  of  all  our  sedimentary  rocks  is 
formed  of  animal  remains.  Tombed  and  ceno- 
taphed,  the  earth  is  the  vast  cemetery  of  the  minute 
dead,  which  we  despoil  to  deck  our  houses  or  adorn 
our  persons.  The  polished  marbles  on  our  centre- ' 
tables,  beautifully  shaded  with  dot  and  stripe,  owe 
all  their  elegance  to  the  skeletons  embedded  within 
their  substance.  Here  is  a  fragment  of  semi-opal 
from  the  great  bed  of  tripoli  at  Bilin,  in  Bohemia, 
less  than  a  half  inch  in  size,  a,  in  which  no  distinct 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    249 

organic  remains  can   be  distinguished ;    but  let  us 
place  it  under  our  glass. 

"  Now  you  can  see  that  it  is  filled  with  perfect 
organisms — shells,  wheels,  animals  of  strange   and 


Semi-Opal  Magnified;  a,  original  size. 

beautiful  shapes.  A  higher  power  would  unfold  new 
beauties  in  those  which  we  can  observe  and  bring 
into  view  thousands  which  we  cannot  detect.  What 
untold  numbers  each  square  inch  of  these  substances 
must  contain !" 


250     GRE^T   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

The  children  gazed  eagerly  at  this  specimen,  arid 
were  filled  with  wondering  admiration  at  the  mar- 
velous revelation.  They  looked  at  the  little  bits  of 
marble  and  chalk  with  a  new  conception  :  they  had 
lost  their  insignificance. 

"  But,"  said  Alf  Green,  who  could  not  be  wholly 
cured  of  his  skepticism,  "you  don't  mean  to  say, 
Mr.  Willard,  that  a  gun-flint — one  that  strikes  fire — 
is  made  up  of  animals?" 

"Well,  Master  Alf,"  replied  the  teacher,  "I  do 
not  wonder  at  your  astonishment,  but  the  fact  is 
easily  proved.  Here  we  have  a  thin  scale  of  flint, 
and  if  you  doubt  its  being  so,  you  can  break  off  a 
thin  piece  from  this  one  which  you  have  brought 
yourselves,  from  which  I  ob- 
tained the  specimen  which  I 
now  show  you. 

"Now  look,  Master  Green, 
and  tell  the  school  what  you 

Flint  Magnified.  „ 

oct;. 

"Oh,  I  see,"  exclaimed  the  admiring  scholar,  "a 
whole  lot  of  stars  and  suns  with  rays  sticking  out 
all  around !" 

"Pretty  good,"  replied  the  teacher;  "those  points 
do  look  as  if  they  would  stick  a  little,  and  if  we 
magnify  them  a  little  more,  we  shall  find  that  each 
point  is  pronged  like  a  fork.  These  curious  outlines 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    251 


which  have  excited  your  admiration  are  the  shells  of 
animalcules,  but,  as  you  see,  death  has  not  robbed 
them  of  their  beauty. 

"In  Norway  and  Lapland  there  is  a  species  of 
minute  fossil  called  Berg  Mehl,  which  forms  a  strata 
more  than  thirty  feet  thick. 
The  natives  call  it  'moun- 
tain-meal/ for  in  times  of 
scarcity  great  quantities 
are  gathered  and  mixed 
with  their  coarse  meal  and 
baked  into  bread.  It  is, 
as  can  be  readily  seen, 
composed  of  the  fossil 
shells  of  diatoms,  mostly 
of  the  species  called  navi- 
cula. 

"  We  have  thus  seen  that 
these  infinitesimal  dead 
compose  stone,  flint,  gem, 
and  meal,  and  here  we 
should  suppose  their  do- 
minion would  cease;  but 
no,  they  run  almost  through 
the  mineral  kingdom.  The  'Bog Iron  Ore,'  we  are  told 
by  Ehrenberg  and  other  writers,  is  largely  composed 
of  these  relics  of  minute  life,  and  where  else  we  shall 


Spicula  of  Flint. 


Berg  Mehl. 


252     GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

find  them  we  can  hardly  tell,  but  must  await  the 
further  developments  of  science. 

"  We  must  not  suppose  that  these  fossil  forms  are 
confined  to  great  antiquity.  Far  otherwise ;  they  are 
accumulating  every  moment,  and  in  some  instances 
with  great  rapidity.  In  the  Red  Sea  this  process  is 
going  on  with  such  energy  as  to  endanger  naviga- 
tion, and  in  the  harbor  of  Wismar,  in  the  Baltic, 
these  deposits  increase  at  the  rate  of  seventeen  thou- 
sand cubic  feet  of  mud  every  year,  every  grain  of 
which,  we  are  told,  contains  a  billion  of  beautiful 
silicious  shells!  In  Barbadoes  and  other  places  a 
similar  process  is  filling  up  the  sea.  What  can  we 
say  of  such  things  but  that  *  this  also  cometh 
forth  from  the  Lord  of  hosts,  who  is  wonderful  in 
council  and  excellent  in  working '  ?  Truly  it  may 
be  said  in  other  than  a  spiritual  sense  that  we  can- 
not fly  from  his  presence ;  on  land  or  to  the  utter- 
most parts  of  the  sea  he  is  equally  and  palpably 
present  in  his  wonderful  works. 

"  Let  us  take  a  more  particular  notice  of  some 
of  these  palaces  of  a  minute  race. 

"  I  have  told  you  that  the  diatoms  were  among 
the  first  born  of  life,  perhaps  the  very  first,  and  that 
they  have  come  down  to  us  in  an  uninterrupted  de- 
scent ;  hence  we  might  expect  to  find  them  most 
numerous  and  most  generally  diffused — a  fact  which 


GREAT    WONDERS   IN    LITTLE   THINGS.    253 

is  verified  by  all  researches.  They  are  found  in  all 
the  living  forms  which  we  have  noticed,  but  these 
which  I  present  are  perhaps  the  most  numerous.  „ 


Fossil  Diatoms. 

"These  navicula  shells  are  older,  no  doubt,  by 
thousands  of  years,  than  the  mummies  of  Egypt,  as 
their  tombs  were  the  flinty  rocks,  yet  they  are  as 
perfect  in  shape  and  fresh  in  outline  as  their  living 
compeers  so  lately  under  our  instruments.  No 
wonder  they  are  so  highly  treasured  by  the  micro- 
scopist. 

"  In  Bermuda  and  Barbadoes  these  forms  of  infu- 
sorial shells  are  found  in  the  greatest  abundance  and 
perfection,  and  I  am  fortunate  in  having  secured  a 

22 


254     GREAT    WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

number  of  well-mounted  specimens.     Here  are  two 
with  very  hard  names : 


A  rachnoidiscus. 


Actinocyclus. 


"  How  beautifully  the  last  named  is  striped  and 
dotted,  with  a  delicate  lace-work  edge,  and  starred 
in  the  centre !  Seeming  so  frail,  it  is  wonderful  that 
it  is  not  broken  into  pieces  in  the  process  of  wash- 
ing and  mounting,  yet  it  will  not  only  endure  this 
treatment,  but  pass  through  great  heat  also. 


Cucconei. 


Coscinodiscus. 


GREAT    WONDERS    IN    LITTLE   THINGS.    255 


"  Akin  to  these,  but  of  smaller  dimensions,  are  the 
little  oval  Cocconei  and  the  Coscinodiscus.  This  last 
is  worthy  of  notice,  from  the  elegant  cross  bars  divid- 
ing it  into  sections,  with  delicate  rosettes  at  the  ter- 
minations. 

"  The  Idhmia  is  very  attractive  from  its  peculiar 
shape  and  delicate 
penciling,. and  the  at- 
tachment of  a  second 
shell  to  the  parent, 
indicating  the  man- 
ner of  its  reproduc- 
tion. At  some  point 
near  the  middle  of  the 
parent  cell  a  bud  is 
seen  to  protrude,  and  with  steady  progress  develops 
into  a  perfect  animal,  when  it  rudely  breaks  away. 
In  our  specimen  death  has  arrested  the  process ;  like 
the  monarch  of  Israel  and  Jonathan,  'they  were 
lovely  in  their  lives,  and  in  death  they  were  not 
divided.' 

"  Two  most  remarkable  of  this  class  of  microscopic 
objects  are  the  Gallionella  and  the  Triceratum.  The 
Gallionella  is  widely  scattered  over  the  United 
States,  in  many  parts  of  which  I  have  obtained 
beautiful  specimens,  and  is  often  termed  the  '  Sox- 
chain  animakule.'  When  only  one  end  of  the 


Isthmia. 


256      GREAT    WONDERS    IN    LITTLE    THINGS. 

chain  is  seen,  it  has  much  the  appearance  of  a  small 
coin,  but  turned  lengthwise  it  is  found  to  consist 
of  twenty  or  more  of  these  coin-like  sections.  In 
this  shape  they  are  perceptible  to  the  eye  on  close 
inspection  as  a  fine  thread-like  filament  running 
through  the  limestone  rock  in  which  they  abound. 


Gallionella  and  Tnceratum. 

"The  other  specimen  is  a  beautiful  honey-comb 
triangle,  of  very  attractive  appearance.  Both  of 
these  forms  have  their  living  representatives  in  our 
ponds  and  ditches,  and  are  said  to  multiply  so  fast 
that  one  hundred  and  forty  millions  of  these  subsec- 
tions are  produced  •  every  twenty-four  hours.  No 
wonder  that  they  build  up  mountains  in  thousands 
of  years ! 

"  The  last  examples  which  time  will  permit  us  to 
examine  are  the  Campy lodiscus,  Ampliitetra,  and 
Dictyocha.  They  are  given  because  we  saw  them 


GREAT    WONDERS    IN    LITTLE   THINGS.    257 

abundantly  in  the  living  state,  and  we  can  see  how 
little  change  death  has  made  in  their  appearance. 
Their  bright  colors  have  faded  a  little,  but  the  tene- 
ment has  not  been  shattered  by  the  hand  that  dashed 
its  inner  life  out.  They  are  beautiful  shapings,  giv- 
ing almost  every  angle  known  to  geometry.  With 


Campylodiscus,  Amphitetra,  and  Dictyocha. 

these 'frail  materials  God  rears  up  the  sublime  struc- 
tures of  nature,  and  who  but  the  almighty  One  from 
such  beginnings  could  bring  to  pass  such  stupendous 
results  ?  From  nothing  he  has  all  things  made ! 

"  With  this  overwhelming,  solemn  thought  we 
will  take  our  leave  for  the  present  of  these  infinites- 
imal forms  of  life.  In  doing  this,  how  profound 
the  impression!  The  means,  how  far  beyond  our 
conception  and  knowledge!  The  result,  how  baf- 
fling our  comprehension  !  The  one  we  must  search 
for  with  eyes  wonderfully  assisted ;  the  other  meets 
us  with  its  grand  realities — incomprehensible  at 
either  extreme,  but  meeting  us  in  the  medium  with 
the  tangible  certainties  of  creation. 
22*  R 


258     GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

"  Who  can  resist  the  lesson  which  says  to  us  so 
impressively,  '  Trifle  not  with  aught  which  God  has 
created,  for  he  may  use  it  to  curse  thee ;  despise  it 
not,  for  he  may  make  it  a  blessing  to  thee '  ?  He 
may  withdraw  the  animalcule  from  the  ditch  or  pond, 
and  the  destroyer  will  start  up  from  its  pestilential 
waters;  or  give  his  commands  to  his  invisible  army 
of  motes  that  '  people  the  sunbeam/  and  they  will 
enter  into  the  nostrils  and  creep  into  the  pores  of  the 
skin,  and  the  cholera  will  sweep  off  its  thousands. 
A  little  fly  shall  sting  the  fruit  or  eat  out  the  germ 
of  the  wheat,  and  the  whole  staff  of  bread  shall  be 
cut  off.  How  true  it  is  that  whole  nations  '  perish 
,  from  the  way  when  his  wrath  is  kindled  but  a  little !' 
What  a  fearful  thing  it  is  to  trifle  with  God  !— that 
God  who  does  not  trifle  with  the  minutest  thing 
which  he  has  created !  Because  he  made  it,  it  is  no 
trifling  thing. 

"My  dear  pupils,  my  efforts  will  have  accom- 
plished very  little  if  I  have  not  succeeded  in  im- 
pressing you  with  this  solemn  truth.  If  you  must 
not  trifle  with  the  least  of  the  things  which  he  has 
made,  how  much  greater  the  offence  to  treat  lightly 
your  own  precious  souls !  Your  bodies  are  but  the 
soul's  casing.  Like  these  fossils,  they  will  soon  be 
entombed,  resolved  back  to  dust  and  commingled 
with  diatom  and  foraminifera,  but  what  of  the  soul  ? 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE  THINGS.    259 

We  cannot  trace  its  flight  with  the  telescope,  nor 
find  its  hidden  dwelling  with  the  microscope.  The 
body  will  return  to  the  dust,  whence  it  came,  but 
the  soul  shall  go  to  God  who  gave  it ;  and  the  all- 
important  question  is,  How  shall  we  stand  before 
him  ?  May  the  wonder  and  astonishment  which  our 
lessons  have  excited  at  the  marvels  of  his  creating 
hand  lead  us  to  the  greater  marvel  of  his  grace  in 
the  gift  of  his  only  begotten  Son  for  our  redemption ! 
"Our  next  interview  will  be  devoted  to  the  prac- 
tical uses  of  the  microscope." 


I  radical  itses  0f  tfyc  Microscope. 

P  261 


CHAPTER   XVI. 

PRACTICAL   USES  OF  THE  MICROSCOPE. 

THE  welcome  hour  found  the  children  gathered 
around  the  familiar  table,  as  eager  as  ever  to 
listen  to  their  loving  teacher  and  inspect  the  strange 
things  which  he  had  to  show  them.     Mr.  Willard 
began  by  saying : 

"  The  girls  have  provided  us  with  a  beautiful  col- 
lection of  butterflies,  millers,  moths,  and  other  in- 
sects, and  we  could  spend  many  pleasant  hours  in 
examining  their  structure,  habits,  and  beautiful 
wings,  but  nearly  all  these  interesting  facts  you  can 
learn  without  the  use  of  the  microscope.  To  aid 
you  in  this  I  have  some  copies  of  a  book  recently 
published,  the  '  Wonders  of  Insect  Life/  by  Professor 
Willet,  which  I  recommend  you  all  to  read.  It  is 
full  of  interesting  information  on  this  subject,  and 
will  save  us  the  necessity  of  spending  much  time  in 
the  investigation  of  insect  life.  To  any  one  who 
will  take  the  pains  to  observe,  the  curious  ways  and 
structure  of  many  a  familiar  bug  will  excite  a  great 
degree  of  interest,  which  will  be  vastly  increased 

263 


264     GREAT   WONDERS    IN    LITTLE   THINGS. 

when  the  object  is  placed  under  the  microscope.  It 
is  only  thus  we  discover  that  the  down  on  a  butter- 
fly's wing  is  composed  of  beautiful  plumes  vieing 
with  the  splendors  of  the  peacock,  and  that  some  of 
the  shells  are  studded  with  sparkling  gems.  By  this 
power  the  masses  of  larva  are  transformed  into 
pearls  and  beads  of  rare  form  and  workmanship, 
and  legs  and  horns  become  wonders  of  mechanism. 
With  a  knowledge  of  these  facts  we  are  never  at  a 
loss  for  objects  of  study.  If  we  cannot  obtain  water 
from  the  pool  or  marl  from  the  pit,  we  have  only  to 
capture  the  common  house  fly,  cockroach,  or  miller, 
and  we  have  abundant  resources  to  engage  our  atten- 
tion. The  eye  of  hundreds  of  lenses,  the  suction 
foot,  the  sharp  sting,  the  variegated  wing,  the  coiled 
proboscis,  or  hairy  antennae, — all  these  will  repay 
the  pains  taken  to  examine  them.  Indeed,  the  ob- 
jects of  microscopical  interest  are  almost  limitless ; 
the  animal  and  vegetable  creations  are  never-failing 
resources.  The  leaves  and  pollen  of  flowers,  pores 
and  fibres  of  wood,  moss  and  lichens,  texture  of 
bones  and  shells,  skin,  hair,  and  nails,  blood  and 
other  fluids  of  the  human  body, — in  short,  there  is 
nothing  capable  of  being  adjusted  to  the  powers  of 
these  wonderful  glasses  but  is  invested  with  a  new 
and  strange  interest. 

"  But  you  must  not  suppose  that  the  only  value  of 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    265 

the  microscope  consists  in  its  wonderful  powers  of 
revelation.  This  would,  indeed,  give  it  a  rare 
value,  and  justify  all  the  attention  which  has  been 
given  to  its  perfection,  but  it  has  a  practical  worth 
which  must  not  be  overlooked,  and  this  worth  is 
every  year  becoming  more  and  more  apparent. 
There  are  few  departments  of  human  effort  that  do 
not  require  its  aid  in  detecting  fraud  or  enlarging 
resources.  It  has  become  the  most  prized  hand- 
maid of  Science  and  Art,  it  ministers  to  the  relief  of 
suffering  in  the  hands  of  the  physician,  and  the  de- 
tection and  punishment  of  crime  in  the  courts  of 
justice.  Of  this  last  benefit  I  have  given  you  two 
examples  in  tracing  the  guilt  of  the  criminals  by  the 
blood-marks  which  they  had  left. 

"  But  it  is  not  only  used  on  this  bloody  scent :  a 
single  hair  is  often  all  that  is  presented  to  its  search- 
ing inspection.  There  was  a  case  of  this  kind  a  few 
years  since.  An  old  lady  had  been  brutally  mur- 
dered and  thrown  out  of  an  upper  window,  the  mur- 
derer hoping  thereby  to  give  the  impression  that  she 
was  killed  by  a  fall.  But  the  head  was  cut  and 
bruised  in  a  manner  which  made  it  impossible  that 
this  should  have  been  the  mode  of  her  death.  In 
the  search  for  causes  a  poker  was  found  with  bloody 
stains,  which,  with  some  others  taken  from  the  shirt 
sleeves  of  a  son-in-law,  were  taken  to  an  expert.  In 

23 


266     GREAT    WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

searching  these,  a  single  gray  hair  was  found  ad- 
hering to  the  sharp  end  of  the  poker,  which  had  been 
driven  into  the  head.  This  hair  was  identified  as 
belonging  to  the  murdered  woman,  and  established 
the  fact  that  this  instrument  had  been  used  in  her 
destruction,  entirely  overthrowing  the  theory  of  the 
prisoner  that  she  had  accidentally  fallen  from  the 
window.  It  is,  therefore,  literally  true  that  life 
sometimes  hangs  on  a  single  hair. 

"  There  is  an  anecdote  which  strikingly  illustrates 
the  almost  infallible  testimony  of  the  microscope, 
even  when  hundreds  of  years  have  transpired  after 
the  event  has  taken  place  which  it  is  called  upon  to 
elucidate.  A  few  years  since,  in  making  some  re- 
pairs in  an  old  church  in  Yorkshire,  England,  a  few 
bits  of  dried  parchment  or  skin  were  taken  from 
under  the  heads  of  some  large  nails  which  studded 
the  doors.  They  excited  so  much  curiosity  that  they 
were  taken  to  an  expert  microscopist  for  examina- 
tion. Placed  under  his  instrument,  he  pronounced 
them  to  be  pieces  of  human  skin — that  of  a  man  of 
light  complexion,  for  the  well-defined  human  hair 
was  still  fast  in  the  skin  and  perfect  in  its  preserva- 
tion. To  verify  these  statements  search  was  made 
in  the  old  parish  records,  when  it  was  found  that 
near  a  thousand  years  before  a  Danish  robber  had 
broken  into  and  robbed  this  church,  and  for  a  pun- 


GREAT   WONDEKS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    267 

ishment  had  been  flayed  and  his  skin  nailed  to  the 
church  door.  On  all  the  portions  of  the  skin  ex- 
posed to  the  weather  time  had  done  its  work  of  de- 
struction, but  the  broad-headed  nails  had  preserved 
those  portions  concealed  under  them  to  give  this 
testimony  of  the  long-past  event. 


Human  Hair. 


Cat's  Hair. 


Hair  of  Mouse. 


"  Like  the  blood,  God  has  given  to  the  hairs  of 
each  species  a  distinct  individuality,  which  the  mi- 


268     GREAT    WONDERS   IN    LITTLE   THINGS. 

croscope  brings  out  with  unerring  certainty,  and  it 
can  identify,  in  most  instances,  that  of  different  in- 
dividuals of  the  same  species,  as  in  the  case  of  the 
murdered  woman  just  mentioned.  Let  us  take  a 
few  specimens. 

"  Here  is  a  sample  of  human  hair.  It  is  cylin- 
drical, with  fine  wavy  lines  running  parallel  around 
it.  All  human  hair  is  not  exactly  like  this,  but  the 
general  characteristics  are  the  same,  and  mark  its 
identity.  It  is  in  some  respects  analogous  to  the 
stem  of  a  plant  growing  by  continual  additions  at 
the  root.  Internally  it  is  much  the  same,  being 
made  up  of  a  large  number  of  fibres  which  are 
capable  of  separation,  like  those  of  wood,  hence 
'splitting  a  hair'  is  no  metaphor.  It  is  said  by 
those  who  have  examined  its  structure  with  very 
high  powers  that  a  single  hair  is  made  up  of  more 
than  fifty  thousand  fibrils,  being  finer  than  those  of 
any  other  known  tissue.  Pull  out  one  of  your  hairs, 
and  then  try  and  imagine  that  this  vast  number  of 
threads  are  wrapped  together  in  a  thing  so  attenu- 
ated !  God's  spindles  spin  finely.  Not  only  are 
the  hairs  of  your  heads  all  numbered,  but  his  hand 
has  spun  out  each  invisible  fibril  and  wove  them 
together  for  a  covering  to  your  head,  and  a  glorious 
adorning  it  is. 

"  The  following  anecdote,  taken  from  the  American 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    269 

Journal  of  Microscopy  for  May,  1871,  will  show  how 
much  may  hang  on  a  single  hair,  and  how  certainly 
the  microscope  will  bring  out  its  testimony : 

"  Some  time  ago,  being  in  company  with  a  medi- 
cal man,  whom  I  will  call  Mr.  R ,  we  fell  into 

conversation  pn  the  uses  of  the  microscope,  in  the 
management  of  which  he  was  an  adept. 

"  *  Now/  said  he,  '  I  will  tell  you  a  story  of  what 
happened  to  myself — one  which,  I  think,  well  illus- 
trates the  importance  of  this  instrument  to  society, 
though  I  was  put  in  a  very  unpleasant  position  owing 
to  my  acquaintance  with  it. 

" '  I  have,  as  you  know,  given  a  good  deal  of 
attention  to  comparative  anatomy,  especially  to  the 
structure  of  the  hair  as  it  appears  under  the  micro- 
scope. To  the  unassisted  eye,  indeed,  all  hair  ap- 
pears very  much  alike,  except  as  it  is  long  or  short, 
dark  or  fair,  straight  or  curly,  coarse  or  fine.  Under 
the  microscope,  however,  the  case  is  very  different ; 
the  white  man's  is  round,  the  negro's  oval,  the 
mouse's  apparently  jointed,  the  bat's  jagged,  and  so 
on.  Indeed,  every  animal  has  hair  of  a  peculiar 
character,  and  what  is  more,  this  character  varies 
according  to  the  part  of  the  body  from  which  it  is 
taken — an  important  circumstance,  as  will  appear 
from  my  story,  which  is  this : 

"  '  I  once  received  a  letter  by  post  containing  a 
23* 


270     GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

few  hairs,  with  a  request  that  I  would  examine 
them,  and  adding  that  they  would  be  called  for  in  a 
few  days.  Accordingly,  I  submitted  the  hairs  to 
the  microscope,  when  I  discovered  that  they  were 
from  the  human  eyebrow,  and  had  been  bruised.  I 
made  a  note  to  this  effect,  and  folded  it  up  with  the 
hairs  in  an  envelope,  ready  for  the  person  who  had 
sent  them.  In  a  few  days  a  stranger  called  and  in- 
quired whether  I  had  made  the  investigation.  "  Oh 
yes,"  I  said,  "  there  they  are,  and  you  will  find  them 
and  their  description  in  this  envelope/'  handing  it  to 
him  at  the  same  time.  He  expressed  himself  as 
being  much  obliged,  and  offered  me  a  fee,  which, 
however,  I  declined,  telling  him  that  I  could  not 
think  of  taking  anything  for  so  small  a  matter. 

"'It  turned  out,  however,  of  more  consequence 
than  I  imagined,  for  within  a  week  I  was  served 
with  a  subpoena  to  attend  as  a  witness  in  a  trial  for 
murder.  This  was  very  disagreeable,  as  I  have 
said,  but  there  was  no  help  for  it  now.  The  case 
was  this  :  A  man  had  been  killed  by  a  blow  from 
some  blunt  instrument  on  the  eyebrow,  and  the  hair 
sent  to  me  for  examination  had  been  taken  from  a 
hammer  in  possession  of  the  suspected  murderer.  I 
was  put  into  the  witness-stand,  and  my  testimony 
that  the  hairs  were  from  the  human  eyebrow,  and 
had  been  bruised,  was  just  the  link  in  the  chain  of 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    271 

evidence  which  sufficed  to  convict  the  prisoner.  The 
jury,  however,  were  not  easily  satisfied  that  my  state- 
ment was  worth  anything,  and  it  required  the  solemn 
assurance  of  the  judge  that  such  a  conclusion  was 
within  the  reach  of  science  to  convince  them  that 
they  might  act  upon  it. 

" '  One  juryman  in  particular,  an  old  farmer,  was 
very  hard  to  satisfy.  "  Does  thee  mean  to  say/7  said 
he,  "  that  thee  can  tell  the  hair  of  any  animal?"  I 
answered  that  I  would  not  take  upon  myself  to  assert 
positively  that  I  could  do  so,  although  I  Relieved  I 
could.  "  Well,"  said  he,  "  I'll  prove  thee." 

" '  The  prisoner,  as  I  said,  was  convicted,  and  I 
went  home,  and  in  the  busy  life  of  an  extensive 
practice  forgot  all  about  my  obstinate  old  farmer. 
About  two  years  afterward,  however,  a  person  an 
utter  stranger  to  me  called  on  me  with  a  few  hairs 
screwed  up  in  a  piece  of  paper,  which  he  asked  me 
to  examine  and  report  on.  "  Is  this  a  murder  case  ?" 
I  inquired ;  "  for  if  so,  I  will  have  nothing  to  do' with 
it.  I've  had  enough  of  that  sort  of  work."  "No, 
no !"  said  he,  "  it  is  nothing  of  the  kind.  It  is  only  a 
matter  of  curiosity,  which  I  should  be  very  much 
obliged  if  you  would  solve ;  and  if  you  will  do  it,  I 
will  call  or  send  for  the  result  of  your  examination 
in  a  few  days'  time."  Having  received  this  assur- 
ance, I  undertook  the  investigation. 


272     GREAT    WONDERS    IN    LITTLE   THINGS. 

"  '  When  he  was  gone,  and  I  had  leisure,  I  put 
the  hairs  under  the  microscope,  and  soon  discovered 
that  they  were  taken  from  the  back  of  a  Norway 
rat.  Two  or  three  days  afterward,  as  I  was  sitting 
in  my  consulting-room,  an  old  farmer-looking  man 
was  ushered  in.  "  Well/'  said  he,  "  has  thee  looked 
at  them  hairs •?"  "  Yes,"  I  answered,  "  and  I  find  that 
they  are  from  the  back  of  a  Norway  rat."  "  Well," 
exclaimed  he,  "  so  they  are.  Thou  hast  forgotten 
me,  but  I  have  not  forgotten  thee.  Does  thee  recol- 
lect the  trial  for  murder  at  L assizes  ?  I  said  I 

would  prove  thee,  and  so  I  have,  for  them  hairs 
came  from  the  back  of  a  rat's  skin  my  son  sent  me 
from  Norway."  So  the  old  gentleman  was  quite 
satisfied  with  the  proof  to  which  he  had  put  me,  and 
I,  as  you  may  suppose,  was  well  pleased  that  my 
skill  and  sagacity  had  stood  such  a  queer  proof  as 
this,  and  more  convinced  than  ever  of  the  value  of 
the  microscope/ 

"  Here  the  doctor's  story  ended,  which  I  have 
given  as  nearly  as  possible  in  his  own  words,  and 
upon  which  I  believe  that  a  thorough  dependence 
may  be  placed. 

"  A  very  similar  case  is  given  in  Prof.  Richard- 
son's late  work  on  Medical  Microscopy,  occurring  at 
Norwich,  England,  about  the  year  1850. 

"A  female  child  nine  years  old  was  found  lying 


GREAT    WONDERS   IN    LITTLE   THINGS.    273 

on  the  ground  in  a  small  plantation,  quite  dead,  with 
a  large  gash  in  the  throat.  Suspicion  fell  upon  the 
mother  of  the  murdered  girl,  who,  upon  being  taken 
into  custody,  behaved  with  the  utmost  coolness,  and 
admitted  having  taken  her  child  to  the  plantation 
where  the  body  was  found,  whence  the  child  was 
lost  in  the  quest  of  flowers.  Upon  being  searched, 
there  was  found  in  the  woman's  possession  a  large 
and  sharp  knife,  which  was  at  once  subjected  to  a 
minute  and  careful  examination.  Nothing,  however, 
was  found  upon  it,  with  the  exception  of  a  few 
pieces  of  hair  adhering  to  the  handle  so  exceedingly 
small  as  to  be  scarcely  visible.  The  examination 
being  conducted  in  the  presence  of  the  prisoner,  and 
the  officer  remarking,  '  Here  is  a^  bit  of  fur  or  hair 
on  the  handle  of  your  knife/  the  woman  immediately 
replied,  'Yes,  I  dare  say  there  is,  and  very  likely 
some  stains  of  blood,  for  as  I  came  home  I  found  a 
rabbit  caught  in  a  snare,  and  cut  its  throat  with  the 
knife.'  The  knife  was  sent  to  London,  and,  with  the 
particles  of  hair,  subjected  to  a  microscopic  examina- 
tion. No  trace  of  blood  could  at  first  be  detected 
upon  the  weapon,  which  appeared  to  have  been 
washed,  but  upon  separating  the  horn  handle  from 
its  iron  lining  it  was  found  that  between  the  two  a 
fluid  had  penetrated  which  turned  out  to  be  blood — 
certainly  not  the  blood  of  a  rabbit,  but  bearing 
s 


274     GREAT   WONDERS   IN    LITTLE   THINGS. 

every  resemblance  to  that  of  the  human  body.  ,  The 
hair  was  then  submitted  to  an  examination.  With- 
out knowing  anything  of  the  facts  of  the  case,  the 
microscopist  immediately  declared  the  hair  to  be  that 
of  a  squirrel.  Now,  around  the  neck  of  the  child  at 
the  time  of  the  murder  there  was  a  tippet  or  '  vic- 
torine/  over  which  the  knife,  by  whomsoever  held, 
must  have  glided,  and  this  victorine  was  of  squirrel's 
fur  ! 

"  This  strong  circumstantial  evidence  of  the  guilt 
of  the  prisoner  was  deemed  by  the  jury  sufficient  for 
a  conviction,  and  whilst  awaiting  execution  the 
wretched  woman  fully  confessed  her  crime. 

"Ah,  how  our  wonderful  instrument  peeped  into  the 
hidden  crevice  of  the  knife-handle  to  bring  out  the 
bloody  testimony,  and  searched  along  the  sinuosities 
of  the  squirrel's  hair  to  point  out  the  dreadful  crime 
of  that  wicked  mother !  No  human  eye  could  have 
brought  to  light  such  guilt  without  its  aid,  and  the 
inhuman  parent  might  have  lived  to  slaughter 
another  innocent. 

"The  fibre  of  wool,  placed  near  the  human  hair, 
can  be  easily  distinguished  by  its  texture  and  mark- 
ings, the  points  of  the  circular  lines  being  much 
sharper.  The  hair  of  the  domestic  cat  is  of  curious 
formation,  seeming  to  be  a  succession  of  steps  en- 
closing a  series  of  semi-transparent  masses,  to  which, 


GREAT   WONDEKS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    275 

probably,  we  may  assign  the  electrical  phenomena 
which  pussy  exhibits  in  the  winter  evening.  The 
hair  of  the  mouse  is  entirely  dissimilar.  These  ex- 
amples will  be  sufficient  to  illustrate  the  marked 
variations  of  hair  and  show  how  easily  they  can  be 
distinguished  one  from  the  other. 

"  Bones  have  about  the  same  variety  of  texture  in 
different  animals,  and  in  the  several  parts  of  the 
same  animal,  by  which  the  skillful  observer  can  not 
only  fix  the  species,  but  the  exact  part  of  the  skele- 
ton from  which  any  particular  bone  is  taken.  This 
rule  will  apply  also,  with  not  quite  so  much  certainty, 
to  the  muscles  and  cartilage,  secretions,  and  other 
components  of  the  body. 

"  From  these  considerations  we  can  see  what  an 
invaluable  instrument  the  microscope  is  to  the  phy- 
sician. With  it  he  can  not  only  fix  the  location  of 
the  parts  of  the  body,  but  "determine  the  condition, 
whether  healthy  or  diseased,  and  thus  be  better  pre- 
pared to  apply  the  remedy.  Had  it  not  been  for  the 
microscope  we  should  never  have  known  the  cause 
of  death  when  the  terrible  Trichina  have  been  at 
work.  Knowing  now  the  cause,  a  remedy  may  be 
discovered  to  check  his  fatal  work.  It  is  now  said  to 
be  shown,  by  the  same  process,  that  the  terrible  cancer 
is  owing  to  a  fungoid  growth  sucking  away  by  its  rapid 
increase  the  vitality  of  the  parts  until  it  eats  the  poor 


276     GREAT   WONDERS    IN    LITTLE   THINGS. 

victim's  life  out.  If  this  be  so,  let  us  hope  that 
a  sure  antidote  will  be  yet  discovered  for  this  most 
painful  malady. 

"  These  examples  will  show  what  cause  of  grati- 
tude we  have  for  the  discovery  of  the  microscope. 
In  the  hands  of  skillful  men  it  becomes  a  precious 
boon  to  suffering  humanity,  lessening  many  of  its 
pains  and  dangers. 

"  A  curious  instance  of  the  detection  of  crime  by 
the  microscope  occurred  in  Germany  some  years  ago. 
In  transacting  some  banking  business  it  became 
necessary  to  transfer  several  boxes  of  gold  from  one 
city  to  another.  The  boxes  arrived  in  due  time, 
but,  when  opened,  the  precious  metal  had  mysteri- 
ously disappeared :  its  place  was  occupied  by  a 
peculiar  species  of  sand.  All  efforts  to  detect  the 
robber  utterly  failed,  until  some  one  acquainted  with 
the  use  of  the  microscope  suggested  an  examination 
of  the  sand  found  in  the  boxes.  This  was  done,  and 
its  characteristics  established,  and  then  specimens  of 
sand  were  taken  from  every  station  on  the  line  of 
railroad  and  subjected  to  a  similar  process;  in 
this  way  the  place  of  the  robbery  was  easily  fixed 
upon,  and  this  led  to  the  ultimate  arrest  and  punish- 
ment of  the  thief. 

"These  instances  will  show  the  great  practical 
value  of  the  microscope  in  the  jurisprudence  of  our 


GREAT   WONDERS    IN    LITTLE   THINGS.    277 

country,  so  that  both  physician  and  lawyer  should  be 
well  acquainted  with  its  use,  or  the  public  will  hold 
them  deficient  in  preparation  for  the  duties  of  their 
professions." 
24 


I  radical  Q|S*S  of  % 

CONTINUED. 


279 


CHAPTER    XVII. 

PRACTICAL    USES    OF   THE  MICROSCOPE.— Continued. 

AFTER  a  few  minutes'  intermission,  Mr.  Willard 
resumed  his  discussion  by  remarking,  "To 
Science  and  Art  the  microscope  has  become  an  indis- 
pensable assistant.  With  this  instrument  and  the 
solar  spectrum  the  gases  and  minerals  of  the  planets 
are  clearly  determined — one  of  the  most  wonderful 
achievements  of  science.  Most  of  you  are  aware 
of  the  effect  of  a  prism  of  glass  in  separating  the 
rays  of  the  sun  into  the  seven  primary  colors.  You 
can  thus  make  a  ribbon  of  light,  with  the  different 
colors  running  across  it,  as  in  some  of  the  ribbons 
which  the  girls  wear.  By  the  same  process  it  is 
found  that  the  light  from  the  different  gases  and 
burning  minerals  produces  specific  lines  across  the 
ribbon  without  regard  to  the  distance  at  which  the 
observation  is  made.  To  demonstrate  the  conditions 
of  the  atmosphere  or  substance  of  one  of  the  planets, 
an  apparatus  called  a  spectroscope  is  used,  and  a 
photographic  picture  taken  in  which  the  light  will 
be  represented  by  a  uniform  line,  invisible,  it  may 

24*  281 


282     GREAT    WONDERS    IN   LITTLE    THINGS. 

be,  to  the  unaided  vision,  but  with  our  faithful 
instrument  these  lines  can  be  examined  and  the 
nature  of  the  substance  which  caused  them  deter- 
mined with  great  certainty.  By  this  wonderful 
process  many  of  the  minerals  with  which  we  are 
familiar  on  earth  are  shown  to  exist  in  the  sun, 
moon,  and  some  of  the  planets.  As  this  study  is  just 
in  its  infancy,  the  astonishing  results  already  ob- 
tained warrant  the  expectation  of  discoveries  of  the 
greatest  magnitude,  and  before  long  we  may  expect 
to  know  what  the  moon  is  made  of  as  familiarly  as 
we  do  the  composition  of  the  earth  on  which  we  tread. 
"There  is  a  combination  of  the  telescope  and 
microscope  from  which  we  may  expect  most  aston- 
ishing results.  The  former  instrument  has  been 
brought  to  such  perfection  and  power  that  objects 
on  the  moon's  surface  seventy  feet  in  diameter  can 
be  easily  distinguished.  Photographs  taken  with  such 
powerful  instruments  can  be  placed  under  the  micro- 
scope, and  examined  with  great  care.  By  this  pro- 
cess we  may  be  able  to  inspect  all  the  secrets  of  the 
moon,  and  if  there  is  animal  life  existing  on  its  sur- 
face determine  its  forms  and  conditions.  There  is 
little  doubt  that  another  generation  will  be  almost 
as  familiar  with  the  physical  conditions  of  the  moon 
as  we  are  with  the  earth :  perhaps  we  ourselves  may 
reach  this  knowledge. 


GREAT    WONDERS    IN    LITTLE   THINGS.    283 

"The  microscope  is  exceedingly  interesting  and 
useful  in  all  manipulations  of  iron  and  steel,  both  as 
revealing  the  rare  beauties  of  their  structure  and  de- 
termining their  quality.  I  have  some  specimens 
which  we  will  put  under  our  instruments.  This 
iron,  you  notice,  is  composed  of  crystals  in  the  form 
of  double  pyramids ;  the  smallness  of  the  crystals 
and  the  height  of  the  pyramids  are  in  proportion  to 
the  quality  and  the  density  of  the  metal.  In  pig 
iron  the  crystals  approach  more  nearly  the  cubic 
form,  while  that  which  has  undergone  the  process 
of  the  forge  has  its  pyramids  flattened  and  reduced 
to  parallel  leaves.  In  the  best  steel  the  crystals  are 
disposed  in  parallel  lines,  each  crystal  filling  the  in- 
terstices between  the  angles  of  those  adjoining.  The 
axes  of  the  crystals  are  always  in  the  direction  of 
percussion  they  have  undergone.  Fine  steel,  under 
the  microscope,  presents  to  the  eye  large  groups  of 
beautiful  crystals  brilliant  as  a  string  of  diamonds. 

"  By  this  inspection  you  will  notice  that  the  finest 
and  most  dense  steel  is  quite  porous — a  fact  which 
could  hardly  be  admitted  were  it  not  for  the  unmis- 
takable testimony  of  our  wonderful  optics,  which, 
though  not  exactly  capable  of  looking  through  a  bar 
of  steel,  can  nevertheless  look  into  it. 

"  The  microscope  has  started  an  earnest  discus- 
sion of  the  topic  of  '  cell  formation/  now  exciting 


284     GREAT    WONDERS    IN    LITTLE   THINGS. 

patient  and  careful  investigation,  and  which  has 
already  established  the  principle  that  animal  and 
vegetable  structures  owe  their  growth  alike  to  its 
operation,  though  differing  widely  in  the  elements 
of  which  they  are  composed.  Yet  when  presented 
to  us  in  their  earlier  developments  there  is  little  to 
distinguish  between  the  animal  and  the  vegetable. 
They  are  an  aggregation  of  transparent  cells.  Too  lit- 
tle has  as  yet  been  settled  to  speak  with  positiveness, 
but  enough  is  known  to  show  that  animal  and  vege- 
table start  from  much  the  same  point  and  advance 
much  in  the  same  way.  It  is  a  simple  semi-trans- 
parent globule,  with  a  shell  much  like  an  egg,  with 
contents  holding  a  nuclew.  These  cells  multiply 
and  change,  all  directed  by  the  same  unerring  wis- 
dom to  that  point  which  they  are  designed  to  build 
up.  And  what  curious  roads  they  travel  to  reach 
their  destiny ! — quarreling  not  on  the  way,  whether 
their  pathway  is  down  to  the  foot  or  up  to  the  head, 
to  sparkle  in  the  eye  or  indurate  in  the  nail.  They 
troop  away  through  the  pores  of  the  bones  and  clus- 
ter in  the  muscle,  spin  out  the  network  of  nerves  and 
ringlets  of  hair,  pour  in  the  currents  of  blood,  swarm 
in  the  fluid  secretions,  busy,  restless  little  workers, 
building  up  the  blade  and  fruit,  or  developing  the 
infant  into  manhood. 

"While  we  wonder  at  this  ' beginning  of  life/  it 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN    LITTLE   THINGS.    285 

may  humble  us  a  little  to  see  that  our  growth  is  like 
that  of  a  pumpkin — at  least,  if  there  is  a  difference, 
the  most  observant  have  not  yet  been  able  to  point 
it  out.  The  only  marked  difference  now  established 
is  the  process  by  which  this  germ-life  is  nourished 
into  complete  development.  The  animal  molecule  is 
fed  from  within  on  organic  compounds  by  the  mys- 
terious process  of  digestion  and  assimilation,  while 
the  plant  germ  feeds  on  inorganic  elements  from 
without,  taking  up  through  the  pores  and  distribut- 
ing through  ducts  to  branch  and  leaf. 

"  We  have  seen  in  the  volvocines  and  confervoid 
algse  that  these  plant  germs  have  something  very 
near  the  power  of  independent  motion,  leaving  many 
in  doubt  to  which  class  they  belong.  Here,  if 
anywhere,  we  might  have  expected  some  intimation 
of  a  '  development '  process,  if  it  anywhere  existed. 
Just  here,  where  it  is  difficult,  in  looking  at  the 
germ-cell,  to  determine  whether  it  is  the  beginning 
of  a  cabbage  or  an  elephant,  a  monkey  or  a  Darwin, 
we  might  expect  from  the  same  seminal  source  to  see 
start  up  all  these  diversities  of  life,  but  not  so  :  '  like 
begets  like/  and  '  seed  bears  seed  after  its  kind/  as 
uniformly  as  the  day  follows  night;  and,  as  has 
already  been  stated,  the  diatom  of  to-day  is  in  the 
exact  image  and  likeness  of  those  gathered  from  the 
dust  of  the  pyramids  or  dug  from  the  base  of  the 


286    GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

ancient  hills.  The  bulrush  of  the  Nile  that  now  bends 
to  its  ripple  is  the  same  as  those  which  formed  the 
cradle  of  Moses.  Darwin  could  not  have  been 
familiar  with  the  microscope,  or  perhaps  he  would 
not  have  written  his  book. 

"  To  those  engaged  in  traffic  and  commerce  who 
wish  to  deal  honestly  with  their  customers,  it  be- 
comes a  protection  against  the  craftiness  of  dishonest 
manufacturers  and  tradesmen.  By  its  use  they  de- 
tect, with  unerring  certainty,  all  mixtures  of  cotton 
or  wool  in  the  texture  of  silk  goods,  or  shoddy  with 
the  woolen.  The  druggist  saves  his  customers  from 
the  fatal  consequences  of  impure  drugs  and  chemi- 
cals, and  the  banker  detects  the  cheats  of  the 
counterfeiter. 

"In  the  hands  of  the  groceryman  and  provision- 
dealer  the  microscope  is  invaluable  to  us  all,  saving 
us  from  many  a  vile  compound.  There  is  hardly  an 
article  which  passes  through  the  hands  of  those 
dealers — tea,  coffee,  flour,  sugar — but  is  adulterated 
by  unscrupulous  m£n  regardless  of  taste  or  health. 
So  cunning  are  they  in  their  deceptions  oftentimes 
that  nothing  but  the  stern,  truth-telling  microscope 
can  detect  their  craftiness.  God  has  stamped  every- 
thing with  an  individuality  which  no  cunning  of 
man  can  efface.  Mix  and  cover  up  as  they  may, 
this  divine  identity  will  look  up  through  the  instru- 


GREAT    WONDERS    IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    287 

ment  as  though  saying,  '  I  am  true,  though  man  is 
trying  to  make  me  a  deceiver.' 

"  We  all  love  sweet  things,  and  pure,  well-clari- 
fied sugar  is  very  nutritious  as  well  as  agreeable. 
But  crude  or  stale  from  long  keeping,  or  damp  from 
improper  storage,  it  is  a  mass  of  animated  impurities. 
You  have  often  seen  greedy  boys  scraping  the  sugar- 
casks  before  a  sugar-house  or  grocery-store.  That 
you  may  see  just  what  they  were  eating,  we  will 
take  a  sample  obtained  by  the  girls  from  the  grocery 
on  the  corner.  We  will  take  but  a  grain  or  two  and 
moisten  it  a  little  and  place  it  under  the  instruments. 
As  I  have  not  examined  the  specimen,  I  know  not 


'ugar  Mites  and  Larva. 


what  it  may  contain,  but  I  am  quite  sure  there  will 
be  no  lack  of  elements  which  will  give  you  a  new  un- 


288     GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

derstanding  of  the  oft-repeated  phrase  in  the  current 
price  quotation,  that  '  sugar  is  lively/  Now  look 
and  see  how  near  I  was  to  truth  in  my  supposition. 
Why  do  you  start  back  so  suddenly,  Nettie?"  said 
Mr.  Willard  to  the  little  girl  as  she  turned  away 
from  the  instrument  with  an  expression  of  disgust. 

"Oh  dear!"  was  her  reply;  "I'll  never  touch  an- 
other bit  of  sugar!  Such  horrid  creatures!" 

"They  are  not  the  most  inviting  things  to  the 
appetite,  truly,"  replied  her  teacher,  "  but  as  you  are 
not  much  given  to  scraping  sugar-barrels,  you  can 
indulge  a  little  in  sweet  things  yet  without  much 
fear  of  swallowing  many  of  these  fearful  creatures. 
They  are  not  confined  to  the  barrels  found  on  the 
streets,  however,  but  abound  in  all  crude  and  damp 
sugar,  which  is  often  mixed  with  a  purer  article  by 
unscrupulous  men  and  sold  for  the  family  use. 

"A  writer  in  a  New  York  paper  thus  describes 
what  he  saw  in  a  few  grains  of  crude  sugar,  which 
we  can  amply  verify  with  the  examples  we  are  now 
inspecting : 

" '  In  less  than  the  quarter  of  an  ounce  of  raw 
sugar  there  were  apparently  myriads  of  horrible 
insects  as  large  as  beetles  and  having  the  appear- 
ance of  crabs.  Four  dreadful  legs,  with  claw-pincers 
at  the  end  of  them,  jointed  in  four  parts  as  with 
armor,  and  bristling  with  sharp-pointed  spears,  were 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN    LITTLE   THINGS.    289 

in  front  of  the  monster,  and  his  head  was  of  a  long 
pyramidal  form  in  two  joints,  with  finger-tips  at  the 
terminus  where  the  mouth  ought  to  have  been.  The 
body  was  oval-shaped  and  marked  almost  exactly 
like  that  of  a  crab,  only  upon  the  rims  of  the  inner 
circle,  upon  the  back,  there  were  twelve  more  of 
these  long  sharp  spears,  with  two  at  the  tail,  and 
four  snake-like  tentacula  excedingly  fine  in  articula- 
tion, and  no  doubt  intended,  like  pussy's  whiskers,  to 
be  feelers,  to  warn  the  hinder  and  contiguous  parts 
of  danger. 

"  '  Talk  about  lively  beasts !  and  lively  they  were, 
eager,  restless,  ravenous,  always  foiling  foul  of  each 
other,  or  attacking  great  joints  of  sugar  as  large  in 
reality  as  a  mathematical  point.  With  the  pincers 
attached  at  the  end  of  each  proboscis  they  caught 
hold  of  each  other  and  tore  one  another  to  pieces, 
repeating  in  their  small  way  the  enormous  tragedies 
of  Tennyson's  primal  monsters.' 

"  Dr.  Barker,  of  London,  has  estimated  that  in 
every  pound  of  raw  or  damaged  sugar  there  are 
more  than  two  hundred  and  sixty-eight  thousand  of 
these  animals,  so  that  every  little  boot-black  who 
scrapes  his  fill  from  the  sugar-house  hogshead  gets 
a  pretty  large  mixture  of  animal  diet  with  his  sweet- 
ness. 

"  Well-clarified  sugar  kept  in  proper  receptacles 

25  T 


290     GREAT   WONDERS    IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

is  entirely  free  from  these  disgusting  creatures,  and 
by  the  use  of  a  very  low  power  we  can  prevent  being 
victimized  by  dishonest  dealers. 

"  But  in  the  more  important  article  of  flour  we 
are  exposed  to  the  same  imposition.  If  stale,  made 
from  bad  wh&it,  or  mixed  with  these  damaged  arti- 


Meal  Mite. 


cles,  it  breeds  an  equally  offensive  creature— the  Meal 
mite.  These  vermin  are  not  quite  so  numerous  as 
the  sugar  mite,  but  quite  as  plentiful  as  is  desired. 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.     291 

In  this  mouldy  flour  obtained  by  the  girls  we  have 
numbers  of  them,  but  that  you  may  see  how  terrible 
they  are  I  have  a  larger  specimen  mounted.  Look 
at  his  spiny  body,  like  a  porcupine,  and  those  long 
legs  with  a  sharp  hook  at  the  termination,  and  I 
think  you  will  not  fancy  eating  a  large  quantity.  If, 
however,  dishonest  millers  and  grocerymen  sell  them 
to  us,  it  is  a  satisfaction  to  know  that  they  are  pretty 
well  cooked  before  they  come  on  the  table,  though, 
even  in  that  shape,  we  can  dispense  with  them  as  an 
article  of  diet. 

"Unfortunately,  our  bread  is  not  only  exposed  to 
the  infusion  of  these  terrible  mites,  but  also  to  many 
deleterious  substances,  as  plaster,  terra  alba,  and 
potato  starch,  all  of  which  can  be  just  as  easily  de- 
tected by  the  microscope.  In  like  manner,  our  coffee 
is  mixed  with  chicory,  wheat,  peas,  rye,  and  many 
other  substances,  until  there  is  no  safety  in  buying 
coffee,  except  in  the  raw  state,  and  even  then  it 
must  be  carefully  examined  or  we  shall  find  our 
supplies  mixed  with  thorn-apple  seeds  or  sunflower 
grains,  and  its  delicate  aroma  ruined.  Tea  is  tam- 
pered with  in  the  same  way  by  using  leaves  of  plants 
bearing  a  similar  shape,  and  often  colored  by  the 
use  of  some  poisonous  mineral,  blue  vitriol  being 
largely  used  for  this  purpose,  and  few  specimens  of 
tea  can  now  be  obtained  without  the  evidence  of 


292     GREAT    WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

these  wicked  adulterations,  which,  if  not  checked, 
may  lead  to  the  necessity  of  discarding  its  use  al- 
together— an  event,  perhaps,  not  very  alarming,  but 
very  disagreeable  to  those  who  are  much  attached  to 
the  pleasant  beverage. 

"  Another  very  striking  and  beautiful  use  of  the 
microscope  is  seen  in  its  nice  adaptation  to  sanitary 
purposes,  detecting  the  miasmic  poisons  that  may 
lurk  unseen,  save  for  its  aid,  in  the  atmosphere.  This 
is  readily  done  by  covering  a  glass  plate  with  a  thin 
coating  of  mucilage  and  exposing  it  to  a  current  of 
air  for  a  short  time,  then  washing  off  the  collection 
and  putting  it  under  the  instrument.  Mr.  Dancer 
tried  this  experiment  in  Manchester,  England,  and 
from  twenty-five  cubic  feet  of  air  obtained  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  drops  of  liquid,  in  which  there  were 
more  than  forty  million  of  organic  beings.  Now, 
when  we  remember  that  this  quantity  of  air  is  only 
a  small  portion  of  that  which  is  breathed  by  every 
man  in  twenty-four  hours,  we  cease  to  wonder  that 
he  so  often  breathes  in  death  in  our  greater  marvel 
that  he  lives  at  all  in  such  an  atmosphere.  In  New 
York  the  same  process  has  been  tried  by  the  health 
officers,  only  varied  by  taking  the  fine  dust  that 
settled  on  a  plate  of  glass,  and  this  accumulation 
was  found  to  consist  of  minerals,  coal  dust,  lamp- 
black, fibres  of  wool,  scales,  granules  of  starch, 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN    LITTLE   THINGS.    293 

hairs,  etc.,  and  when  water  was  added,  and  the  con- 
tents exposed  for  half  a  day  to  the  sun,  thousands  of 
animalcules  made  their  appearance.  All  this  from 
the  surface  of  a  small  plate  of  glass.  What,  then, 
must  be  the  product  of  the  whole  teeming  city  ?  We 
ought  to  bless  God  that  the  breath  of  our  nostrils 
comes  through  his  purifying  hand,  or  it  would  be 
speedily  fatal. 

"  Similar  experiments  made  in  factories,  armories, 
furnaces,  and  machine  shops  prove  that  the  em- 
ployes are  constantly  inhaling  the  minute  particles 
of  the  materials  which  they  are  using.  Thus  in  the 
Springfield  armory  the  air  was  found  impregnated 
with  emery  and  sharp,  jagged  pieces  of  steel  and  iron 
too  small  to  be  detected  by  the  unaided  eye,  but  con- 
stantly going  into  the  lungs  of  the  operatives.  It  is 
well  that  Nature  has  provided  such  barriers  as  pre- 
vent these  sharp  lancets  from  going  far  into  these 
vital  organs,  or  the  most  fatal  results  would  speedily 
follow. 

"To  the  antiquary  the  microscope  possesses  a  pe- 
culiar value,  enabling  him  to  make  important  dis- 
coveries, deciphering  illegible  inscriptions  on  old 
coins  and  ancient  jewelry  and  tracing  out  the  faded 
writing  of  mouldy  manuscripts.  However  minute  or 
dim,  this  wonderful  eye  will  trace  it  all  out.  Here 
is  a  slide  with  a  small  circle  in  the  centre.  I  will 

25* 


294     GREAT   WONDERS    IN    LITTLE   THINGS. 

wipe  it  carefully  and  let  you  examine  it.  Now  pass 
it  round,  and  if  any  scholar  can  detect  any  object 
within  the  circle  he  will  please  name  it.  You  find 
nothing?  Well,  that  is  what  I  expected.  We  will 
now  see  how  one  of  our  instruments  will  succeed. 
Ah,  it  has  sharper  vision  than  we  have.  I  now  read : 
'Exodus,  Chap,  xx.,  1-17, '  and  by  moving  the  slide 
gently  I  can  plainly  observe  all  the  Divine  command- 
ments. God's  sun-pencil  has  written  them  all  within 
a  space  so  small  that  no  unaided  eye  can  detect  them, 
and  thus  the  antiquarian  uses  the  microscope  to 
bring  to  light  many  hidden  things  of  the  greatest 
importance  to  history,  science,  and  religion.  Often- 
times he  has  found  that  parchments  have  been  used 
several  times,  one  writing  being  erased  to  give  place 
for  another, 

"During  the  recent  war  between  Prussia  and 
France,  when  Paris  was  surrounded  by  the  army 
of  the  former,  the  only  way  to  communicate  with 
the  world  outside  of  the  walls  was  by  balloons  or 
carrier  pigeons,  which  could  convey  but  a  small 
weight  of  a  few  ounces.  Had  the  Parisians  been 
confined  to  the  ordinary  methods  of  writing,  very 
little  intelligence  would  have  passed  beyond  the  city 
limits  or  have  returned  by  these  faithful  birds.  But 
the  French  are  most  skillful  in  the  construction  and 
uses  of  the  microscope,  and  were  not  long  in  finding 


GREAT    WONDERS    IN   LITTLE   THINGS.      295 

out  the  way  of  putting  it  to  a  practical  use.  Being 
as  expert  in  the  use  of  the  photographic  art  as  of 
the  microscope,  whole  pages  of  a  newspaper  or  writ- 
ten document  were  photographed  in  the  small  space 
of  a  dime  on  fine  vellum  and  numerous  copies  taken, 
and  in  this  manner  a  single  pigeon  could  transport 
quite  a  respectable  mail  from  and  to  the  beleaguered 
city. 

"  Thus  we  have  only  glanced  at  some  of  the  ways 
in  whicH  the  microscope  is  made  conducive  to  the 
happiness  of  man,  but  they  are  quite  sufficient  to 
give  it  a  position  of  utility  equal  to  almost  any 
other  invention.  Add  this  to  the  marvelous  forms 
of  a  new  life  to  which  it  has  introduced  us,  and  our 
little  brass  tube  becomes  invested  with  surpassing 
interest,  giving  it  a  rank  with  the  telescope,  tele- 
graph, and  steam-engine,  and  in  some  respects  sur- 
passing them.  With  these  facts  before  you,  I  am 
sure  I  need  not  urge  your  further  acquaintance  with 
it,  not  doubting  that  you  have  become  so  interested 
with  its  wonderful  revelations  that  you  will  gladly 
devote  any  occasional  hours  which  I  may  be  able  to 
set  apart  for  further  investigations.  You  have  be- 
come so  familiar  with  the  management  of  the  instru- 
ment during  these  interviews  that  most  of  you  can 
now  pursue  your  investigations  without  my  aid, 
which  I  most  earnestly  urge  all  to  do  who  can  pro- 


296     GREAT   WONDERS    IN    LITTLE   THINGS. 

cure  a  cheap  instrument,  which  will  be  ample  for  all 
practical  purposes.  Should  you  meet  with  difficul- 
ties in  so  doing,  it  will  ever  give  me  the  greatest 
pleasure  to  aid  your  researches  by  any  instructions 
necessary  to  your  success. 

"  Monday  afternoon  will  close  our  menagerie,  not 
because  we  have  exhausted  its  wonders,  or  become 
tired  of  gazing  at  those  most  familiar  to  us,  but  other 
duties  will  claim  our  attention. 

"The  interest  connected  with  the  traveling  show 
which  lately  visited  our  place  has  quite  died  away, 
and  it  is  doubtful  whether  it  left  any  beneficial  re- 
sults. Not  so,  I  trust,  will  be  the  influence  of  our 
many  pleasant  interviews.  Each  one  had  its  special 
interest  and  left  a  definite  impression.  It  taught 
us  something  which  we  shall  ever  remember.  It 
changed  our  entire  views  of  some  parts  of  the  visi- 
ble creation  and  enhanced  our  conception  of  the 
Creator.  Our  thoughts  will  no  longer  be  confined 
to  that  which  is  sublime  from  its  vastness,  but  will 
often  recur  with  increased  wonder  to  the  minute  things 
which  have  been  made  equally  as  well  known  to  our 
senses.  The  ditch  will  no  longer  be  a  mere  collec- 
tion of  impure  water,  nor  the  lump  of  chalk  a  mere 
trifle  to  be  left  for  the  carpenter's  use.  In  both,  our 
minds  will  see  the  wonderful  forms  hidden  within 
them.  This  quickening  of  the  senses  is  a  gain  for 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN    LITTLE   THINGS.     297 

all  life,  and  my  ardent  prayer  is  that  our  study  may 
lead  to  the  quickening  of  that  moral  sense  which 
will  gain  an  immortal  life.  Our  moral  vision  is  as 
obtuse  to  spiritual  things  as  our  eyes  unaided  are 
to  the  hidden  things  which  we  have  been  exam- 
ining. You  will  commiserate  those  who  cannot  see 
these  minute  forms  of  life  as  you  can  see  them. 
They  have  the  same  eyes  which  you  have,  but 
theirs  have  not  been  quickened  to  behold  the  things 
which  you  see.  There  are  more  precious  truths 
than  can  be  revealed  by  our  wonderful  instruments, 
yet  I  fear  many  of  you  are  as  unconscious  of  their 
existence  as  you  were  a  short  time  ago  of  the  strange 
forms  with  which  you  are  now  so  familiar.  The 
greatest  wonder  ever  revealed  to  the  world  is  that 
blessed  Saviour  who  came  into  the  world  to  save 
the  souls  of  men ;  and,  alas !  to  some  of  you  I  must 
yet  say :  '  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  who  taketh 
away  the  sin  of  the  world/  From  our  delightful 
study  of  the  wonderful  works  of  the  same  gracious 
Redeemer — for  '  all  things  were  made  by  him ' — you 
will  go  with  a  determination  to  use  the  sharp  eyes 
which  he  has  .given  you,  and  can  you  make  the  sad 
mistake,  while  looking  at  his  marvelous  works,  not 
to  see  him  who  created  all  these  things  ?  And  see- 
ing him,  can  you  refrain  from  loving  him  with  all 
your  hearts  for  his  goodness  and  mercy?  If  you 


298     GREAT   WONDERS    IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

fail  in  this,  all  your  knowledge  will  be  vain,  and 
your  pleasure  end  in  ceaseless  pain.  I  would  rather 
be  the  means  of  showing  you  the  blessed  Jesus 
than  unveil  to  %you  all  the  mysteries  which  he  has 
created.  With  this  expression  of  my  great  anx- 
iety for  your  spiritual  welfare  I  will  dismiss  you, 
hoping  that  you  will  meditate  upon  these  things,  to 
which  I  may  recur  again  in  our  next  interview, 
which  will  close  our  exhibition  for  the  present." 


inal 


299 


CHAPTER    XVIII. 

THE  FINAL   EXHIBITION. 

IT  would  be  unjust  to  the  children  of  Woodlawn 
to  say  that  they  left  the  presence  of  their  faith- 
ful teacher,  after  such  an  affectionate  admonition, 
with  thoughtless  hearts :  mingled  with  the  sober  ten- 
derness awakened  toward  their  instructor,  there  was 
a  really  earnest  seriousness.  The  question  of  that 
higher  knowledge  to  which  their  attention  had  been 
directed  had  become,  to  some  of  them,  a  subject  of 
paramount  importance.  They  began  to  understand 
the  true  ends  of  knowledge,  and  cherished  resolu- 
tions to  make  a  proper  use  of  it. 

This  was  apparent  in  the  promising  religious 
awakening  in  the  evangelical  churches  of  Wood- 
lawn,  Mr.  Willard's  pupils  being  largely  interested, 
traceable  to  his  faithful  instructions  during  the  course 
of  lectures  which  he  had  been  giving.  His  last 
brief  but  pointed  remarks  seemed  to  have  been  most 
timely,  and  his  young  audience  left  his  presence,  each 
one  feeling  a  personal  interest  in  the  subject.  It 

26  301 


302     GREAT    WONDERS   IN    LITTLE   THINGS. 

was  not  strange,  therefore,  that  an  unusual  solemnity 
was  manifested  in  their  deportment,  and  a  silence 
which  all  seemed  reluctant  to  break.  This  was, 
however,  done  by  Timothy  Allen,  rallying  his  friend 
Alfred,  to  whom  he  said  : 

"  Why,  Alf,  you're  as  sober  as  Parson  Longface. 
What's  the  matter,  boy?" 

"Well,  Tim,"  was  the  reply,  "  I'm  not  ashamed  to 
acknowledge  that  I  feel  not  only  sober,  but  really 
anxious  about  myself.  We  have  seen  most  wonder- 
ful things,  and  have  been  deeply  interested  in  them, 
and  I  begin  to  feel  that  we  have  something  more 
to  do  in  the  matter  than  simply  to  enjoy  the  intel- 
lectual pleasure.  As  Mr.  Willard  said  to  us,  we 
must  be  dull  and  guilty  to  wonder  at  the  work  and 
not  recognize  and  adore  the  Worker.  Strange  arid 
marvelous  as  the  revelations  of  the  microscope  have 
been,  I'm  more  of  a  wonder  to  myself.  If  God  has 
so  carefully  organized  these  minute  forms,  and  given 
them  a  destiny,  did  he  create  you  and  me  only  to 
search  them  out  and  admire  them?  Did  he  not 
rather  make  them  that,  beholding  his  handiwork,  it 
might  lead  the  observer  to  glorify  him  ?  I  feel  as  I 
never  felt  before  the  force  of  the  lines  we  have  often 
sung: 

°Tis  not  the  whole  of  life  to  live, 
Nor  all  of  death  to  die/ 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    303 

and  am  determined  to  make  a  start  for  the  right 
way,  and  with  the  Lord's  help  live  more  like  a  rea- 
sonable being." 

Before  Alfred  had  finished  his  frank  confession 
Timothy  was  as  sober  as  his  fellow-student,  and  as 
frankly  replied : 

"  Excuse  me,  Alfred  ;  I  did  not  mean  any  offence, 
for  I've  been  as  deeply  impressed  as  you  have  been, 
and  have  many  times  wanted  to  give  expression  to 
my  feelings,  but  could  not  muster  up  courage  to  do 
it.  I  know  that  life  is  a  serious  matter,  and  that  to 
which  it  leads  is  more  serious  still,  and,  like  you, 
I  wish  so  to  spend  this  life  that  I  may  meet  the 
future  without  dread.  Mr.  Willard  has  given  us 
not  only  hours  of  delight  and  lessons  of  most  valu- 
able instruction,  but  opened  up  to  us  higher  aims 
and  purposes,  and,  for  one,  I'm  resolved  and  ready  to 
openly  avow  my  determination  to  pursue  the  path  of 
right  and  truth." 

George  Snow  and  Willie  Hunt  had  stood  deeply 
interested  spectators  of  this  conversation,  and  at  its 
close  gave  their  hearty  congratulations,  and  ex- 
horted their  young  companions  to  persevere.  They 
had  been  in  the  advance  of  their  two  companions  in 
this  matter  of  seeking  a  personal  interest  in  the  grace 
of  Christ.  As  there  was  to  be  a  special  meeting  of 
inquiry  for  the  young  on  the  next  afternoon,  they 


304     GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

invited  their  two  friends  to  attend  with  them,  which 
they  most  cordially  accepted. 

After  this  interesting  arrangement  was  settled, 
another  matter  was  discussed.  Alfred  Green,  gen- 
erous as  impulsive,  had  suggested  to  his  schoolmates 
the  fitness  of  presenting  to  their  teacher  some  token 
of  their  appreciation  of  his  efforts  to  add  to  their 
happiness,  and  by  general  consent  it  was  resolved 
to  purchase  a  fine  microscope,  which  had  been  ac- 
complished mainly  through  Alfred's  efforts,  and  the 
instrument  was  now  ready  for  presentation.  This 
pleasant  service  was,  with  the  same  unanimity, 
assigned  to  Alfred. 

The  meeting  on  Saturday  was  one  of  the  deepest 
interest,  and  developed  a  much  wider  religious 
awakening  than  had  been  expected,  especially 
among  the  attendants  at  Mr.  Willard's  school. 
George  and  Willie  gave  assured  testimony  of  a 
living  faith,  while  Alfred,  Timothy,  Sidney  Marvin, 
Nettie  Newton,  and  several  others  were  among  the 
most  earnest  inquirers.  The  Sunday  which  followed 
but  confirmed  these  hopeful  indications,  and  caused 
the  church  to  rejoice  under  a  gracious  refreshing 
from  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord. 

Side  by  side  with  the  earnest  pastor,  Mr.  Willard 
was  endeavoring  to  carry  forward  the  good  work, 
and  the  Lord  gave  him  very  special  occasion  for 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    305 

rejoicing  that  he  had  not  labored  in  vain  nor  spent 
his  strength  for  naught. 

On  Monday,  at  the  opening  of  the  school,  Mr. 
Willard  read  the  fourth  chapter  of  the  first  Epistle 
of  John,  which  to  a  number  of  the  scholars  had  a 
richness  of  meaning  never  before  realized.  It  was 
no  longer  the  mind  dealing  with  grammar  and 
rhetoric,  but  the  heart  delighting  in  the  life-giving 
truths:  they  had  got  beyond  the  letter  and  were 
drinking  in  the  Spirit. 

When  the  regular  routine  of  the  day  was  gone 
through,  and  the  children  were  gathered  round  the 
familiar  table  for  the  closing  scene  of  these  special 
interviews,  there  was  an  expression  of  sadness  on 
most  of  those  youthful  faces,  while  little  Nettie's 
eyes  were  filled  with  big  tear-drops.  Their  kind 
teacher,  whose  own  heart  was  kept  under  control 
only  by  strong  efforts  of  the  will,  did  not  allow  them 
to  dwell  long  in  this  melancholy  mood,  for  his  cheer- 
ful voice  soon  dissipated  the  shadows  that  so  easily 
cloud  the  faces  of  childhood.  He  began  by  saying : 

"  After  the  rich  enjoyment  of  the  holy  day  just 
passed,  I  scarcely  feel  an  inclination  to  talk  of  any- 
thing but  the  richness  of  a  Saviour's  love.  In  com- 
parison with  this  topic  Science  and  the  wonders  of 
creation  are  as  nothing,  except  as  we  view  them  as 
so  many  ways  in  which  that  love  finds  expression. 
26*  U 


306      GREAT   WONDERS   IN    LITTLE   THINGS. 

In  closing  our  microscopic  examinations  for  the 
present,  let  us  keep  in  view  this  relation  of  all 
things  to  Christ,  and  our  minds  will  not  be  diverted 
from  the  great  concerns  which  so  engaged  them 
yesterday. 

"  In  our  examinations  we  have  been  using  powers 
of  from  fifty  to  six  hundred  diameters — that  is,  if  a 
line  was  drawn  straight  through  an  object,  it  would 
appear  six  hundred  times  longer  than  it  really  is. 
Now,  as  every  other  line  would  be  equally  as  much 
enlarged,  to  find  the  number  of  times  a  thing  is 
magnified  we  multiply  the  diameter  by  itself;  thus 
fifty  gives  twenty-five  hundred,  and  six  hundred 
diameters  shows  the  object  is  magnified  three  hun- 
dred and  sixty  thousand  times.  You  may,  perhaps, 
think  this  is  a  very  large  number,  and  it  has  brought 
some  strange  things  within  the  range  of  our  vision, 
revealing  a  teeming  life  where  nothing  was  suspected. 
What,  then,  must  be  the.  marvelous  world  to  which  a 
power  of  many  millions  would  introduce  us?  Where 
we  have  suspected  nothing  under  the  limited  range 
of  our  instruments,  these  stronger  glasses  would  ex- 
pose a  still  more  marvelous  kingdom  of  God's 
incomprehensible  workmanship. 

"A  recent  French  savant,  M.  Plonchet,  affirms 
that  it  is  possible  to  magnify  objects  more  than 
fifty  millions  of  times — a  number  as  much  surpass- 


GREAT    WONDERS   IN    LITTLE   THINGS.    307 

ing  the  range  of  our  instruments  as  these  did  the 
capacity  of  our  own  eyes.  This  statement  of  the 
Frenchman  has  been  more  than  realized  by  a  New 
York  engineer,  Mr.  Dickerson.  With  his  instru- 
ment a  house  fly  is  so  magnified  that,  did  it  exist  in 
just  that  proportion,  it  would  cover  a  space  half  the 
size  of  the  city  of  Washington.  A  man  thus  enlarged 
would  be  more  than  a  hundred  miles  high,  and  a 
lady's  hair  stretched  out  for  twenty-five  or  thirty 
miles.  '  This  instrument  is  so  sensitive  that  a  loud 
word  spoken  near  it  destroys  the  focus  from  the 
tremor  of  the  atmosphere,  and  a  footstep  shakes  it 
out  of  adjustment. 

"The  microscope  has  been  called  'man's  sixth 
sense/  but  in  view  of  such  facts  it  almost  endows 
him  with  a  supernatural  power :  he  sees  things  that 
are  invisible!  We  are  awestruck,  and  ask,  Can 
these  things  be  so  ?  Though  surpassing  our  appre- 
hension, and  almost  our  belief,  our  own  eyes  have 
beheld  the  borders  of  this  mysterious  world ;  what 
lies  beyond,  like  the  unknown  scenes  existing  be- 
yond the  confines  of  this  life,  we  long  to  explore, 
yet  shrink  at  the  thought  of  what  may  be  made 
manifest.  According  to  the  learned  Frenchman  just 
named,  we  should  find  animalcules  swarming  in  our 
mouths,  swimming  through  our  blood,  creeping  into 
our  skin,  and  nestling  in  our  bones,  until  we  shudder 


308    GREAT   WONDERS    IN    LITTLE   THINGS. 

at  our  fearful  condition.  In  this  respect  it  can  be 
truly  said  that '  ignorance  is  bliss/  and  we  may  add, 
perhaps  without  doing  wisdom  a  wrong,  that  in  this 
regard  it  is  '  folly  to  be  wise/  further  than  to  accept 
the  statement  as  an  incentive  to  greater  and  perse- 
vering habits  of  personal  cleanliness,  for  most  of 
these  parasitic  animalcules  are  a  scourge  only  to 
those  who  are  neglectful  in  these  respects.  It  is 
said  that '  cleanliness  is  next  to  godliness,'  and  those 
who  disregard  the  maxim  will  sooner  or  later  find 


Sarcoptes  Scabiei. 

their  hands  infested  with  such  fearful  creatures  as 
this  which  I  now  put  under  the  glass,  taken  from 
between  the  fingers  of  '  Dirty  Joe/  whom  you  see 
daily  on  the  steps  of  the  court-house  blacking  boots. 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    309 


It  is  the  loathsome  Itch  insect,  which  produces  the 
sores  existing  between  the  fingers  and  around  the 
joints  of  those  infested  with  it.  Buried  in  the  skin, 
it  breeds  and  fattens  to  punish  the  slovenly  for  their 
neglect.  One  look  at  its  horrid  claws  and  sucker 
mouth  should  be  enough  to  ensure  any  one  against 
its  depredations. 

"  Oftentimes  there  will  be  seen  faces  specked  here 
and  there  with  little  red  or  black  pimples,  produced 
by  a  grub  which  burrows  in  the  skin  of  the  face  and 
breeds  by  depositing  its  larva. 
They  are  not  quite  so  disgust- 
ing as  the  last  one  named,  but 
enough  so  to  lead  to  persever- 
ing efforts  to  destroy  them.  This 
worm-like  creature  is  often  a 
judgment  sent  to  punish  those 
of  improper  habits  as  well  as 
untidy  persons,  impressing  the 
lesson  which  I  have  already 
enforced,  that  we  are  criminal 
in  neglecting  or  abusing  the 
bodies,  so  fearfully  and  won- 
derfully made,  which  God  has 
given  us.  Dishonoring  them, 
we  dishonor  their  Maker. 

"  It  is  not  only  necessary  to  keep  the  face  and 


Grub  from  the  Face. 


310     GREAT    WONDERS   IN    LITTLE   THINGS. 

hands  clean,  but  the  mouth  and  hair  should  be 
special  objects  of  attention.  I  have  already  men- 
tioned the  fact  asserted  by  the  French  savant,  that 
the  mouth  is  swarming  with  animalcules — a  state- 
ment which  you  received  with  an  incredulous  smile. 
If  I  should  show  you  the  actual  condition  of  some 
of  your  mouths,  the  smile  would  soon  change  to  a 
'  wry  face/  and  your  incredulity  give  way  to  a  fixed 
determination  to  keep  a  *  sweet  mouth '  by  the  free 
use  of  soap  and  brush.  If  the  mouth  is  neglected 
for  a  while,  the  teeth  become  coated  with  a  slimy  sub- 
stance called  tartar,  seemingly  a  very  harmless  thing. 
Let  us  see  what  it  is  composed  of.  Our  highest 
power  is  only  six  hundred  diameters,  but  it  will  en- 
able us  to  see  something  in  this  little  mass  of  tartar 
which  will  certainly  not  be  a  subject  of  laughter. 

"  Now  you  may  take  a  look  and  see  what  a  ne- 
glected mouth  contains !  We  have  a  mass  of  ani- 
mation much  resembling  the  vibriones,  which  we 
had  under  our  glasses  a  few  days  ago.  Our  power 
is  too  small  to  discover  the  different  shapings  of 
these  parasites,  but  when  one  is  used  high  enough 
to  thus  distinguish  them,  they  are  found  of  almost 
ever^  horrible  shape — snakes,  worms,  spears,  crosses, 
hooks,  and  daggers,  intertwined  and  wriggling  with 
disgusting  reality.  Dr.  Harrimore  has  estimated 
that  a  cubic  inch  of  tartar  taken  from  the  teeth  will 


GREAT   WONDERS    IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    311 

contain  not  less  than  two  hundred  and  fifty  million 
of  these  animalcules.  If  this  be  true — and  there  is 
no  reason  to  call  it  in  question — every  atom  of  this 
substance  must  contain  thousands  of  these  minute 
creatures.  I  do  not  wonder  that  some  of  you  put 
your  hands  over  your  mouth  ;  but  it  is  needless,  they 
will  not  jump  out ;  their  place  of  abode  is  too  con- 
genial, and  nothing  but  a  thorough  cleansing  with 
soap  and  brush  will  dislodge  them.  If  you  suffer 
them  to  remain,  they  will  destroy  the  gums,  corrode 
the  teeth,  and  taint  the  breath,  and  you  will  pay  the 
painful  consequences  in  aching  teeth,  which  you  will 
soon  lose.  Take  care  of  your  teeth.  Nature  is 
bountiful  in  supplying  you  with  a  second  set,  and 
sends  these  scourges  to  punish  those  who  abuse  her 
munificence. 

"  Another  little  matter  of  the  toilet,  more  especially 
interesting  to  the  girls.  In  one  of  our  former  lessons 
we  referred  to  the  animalcules  found  in  damp  hair- 
brushes, and  now  recall  the  subject  as  one  of  no 
small  importance.  The  Bible  tells  us  that  '  if  a 
woman  have  long  hair,  it  is  a  glory  to  her  :  for  her 
hair  is  given  her  for  a  covering.'  A  beautiful  head 
of  glossy  hair  is  a  rich  gift,  for  which  its  possessor 
should  be  thankful,  and  it  is  a  crime  to  defile  it  by 
neglect  or  the  use  of  improper  applications. 

"  Conceive  of  those  glossy  curling  locks  filled  with 


3.12     GREAT   WONDERS    IN    LITTLE   THINGS. 

rotifers,  vorticella,  diatoms,  and  algse,  crawling  and 
multiplying,  and  what  is  worse,  with  millions  of 
'  Gregaria/  which  not  only  infest  the  hair,  but  bur- 
row into  the  skin.  This  conception  becomes  a  fact 
in  every  case  when  water  is  used  in  dressing  the  hair, 
as  can  be  abundantly  proved  by  inspecting  the  brush 
employed  on  the  hair  through  which  it  has  passed. 
When  water  is  constantly  used  the  hair  acquires  a 
strong  acid  smell,  and  is  then  always  filled  with  a 
fungus  growth,  which  multiplies  with  astonishing 
rapidity.  The  head  is  then  not  unlike  a  mossy  stone. 
Use  no  water,  grease,  or  other  artificial  compounds 
on  your  hair,  except  to  shampoo  the  head  with  clean 
water  and  soap  once  or  twice  a  week,  wipe  it  dry, 
and  then  use  a  dry  brush  or  comb.  In  this  way  you 
will  keep  the  '  glory  of  woman '  bright  as  a  crown, 
and  pure. 

"  We  have  been  describing  the  conditions  of  the 
natural  hair,  but  what  shall  we  say  of  the  artificial 
substitutes  so  lavishly  used  by  the  votaries  of  fashion  ? 
Live  hair  in  its  process  of  growth  has  some  power  to 
throw  off  the  impurities  which  come  in  contact  with 
it,  but  dead  hair  breeds  and  nourishes  them ;  hence 
it  is  always  infested  to  loathsomeness,  and  nothing 
short  of  heat  can  render  it  pure.  As  this  element 
would  soon  destroy  its  texture  altogether,  it  can  be 
only  partially  used,  and  not  sufficiently  to  thoroughly 


GREAT   WONDERS    IX   LITTLE   THINGS.    313 

cleanse  the  article,  hence  it  may  be  settled  as  an 
axiom  that  all  false  hair  is  filthy.  Nor  are  the  sub- 
stitutes exempt  from  this  charge.  Jute,  the  princi- 
pal one,  Prof.  Haamel  tells  us,  is  infested  with  a  par- 
asite having  much  the  appearance  of  a  common  wood 
tick,  with  crab-shaped  arms,  which  are  constantly  in 
motion,  by  the  use  of  which  it  penetrates  the  scalp, 
producing  diseases  of  the  skin,  thus  causing  the  na- 
tural hair  to  fall  off.  Girls,  you  have  been  on  the 
seashore,  and  noticed  how  the  multitudes  of  *  fiddler 
crabs'  would  troop  off  sideways  to  their  hiding- 
places  when  your  presence  disturbed  them.  Just 
think  of  the  pile  of  jute  on  the  back  of  the  head  of 
some  fashionable  lady,  and  the  swarm  of  tick-like 
animalcules  crawling  through  it,  and  how  would  you 
like  to  pin  it  to  the  back  of  your  head  ?" 

As  the  teacher  was  describing  this  fashionable 
breeder  of  vermin,  three  or  four  of  the  larger  girls, 
who  were  adorned  with  these  adjuncts  of  the  head, 
had  divested  themselves  of  their  chignons,  which  was 
noticed  by  the  school,  and  produced  no  little  merri- 
ment. That  night  there  were  several  little  bonfires 
in  which  jute  formed  the  material  of  combustion — an 
example  which  it  would  be  well  for  all  to  follow  who 
wear  it. 

"Though  our  researches/'  continued  Mr.  Willard, 
"  into  the  minute  forms  of  nature  have  developed 

27 


314     GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

such  wonderful  things,  the  results  are  meagre  com- 
pared with  what  lies  yet  concealed.  There  is  another 
field  of  exceeding  beauty  and  interest  which  we 
have  not  even  touched,  and  can  now  only  briefly 
refer  to — the  inorganic  or  mineral  kingdom.  In 
this  department  we  find  the  most  valuable  metals 
for  use  and  the  precious  gems  so  much  prized  for 
their  exceeding  brilliancy.  In  themselves  they  are 
beautiful  objects  to  look  upon.  Their  perfection  of 
form  and  sparkling  appearance  are  attractive,  but 
how  wonderfully  all  these  attractions  are  increased 
when,  by  a  curious  process,  these  gems  are  made 
to  glow  with  all  the  colors  of  the  rainbow,  and 
that  too  seemingly  not  at  rest,  but  curiously  in 
motion,  revolving  like  the  Chinese  wheel !  This 
effect  is  produced  by  what  is  called  Polarisation — a 
process  too  difficult  for  you  now  to  understand,  but 
you  can  have  a  demonstration  of  its  exceeding 
splendor,  as  I  have  a  Polariscope  constructed  by  Mr. 
Nicol.  By  this  process  the  different  minerals  are 
proved  to  have  the  power,  like  the  prism,  of  analyz- 
ing the  rays  of  light,  and  that  each  one  has  favorite 
colors  of  its  own.  When  these  are  so  mysteriously 
put^n  motion,  we  have  some  of  the  most  inconceiv- 
able and  beautiful  combinations.  I  will  adjust  the 
polarizer  to  one  of  our  instruments,  and  place  a  few 
minerals  under  it,  and  give  you  a  glance  at  this  en- 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN    LITTLE   THINGS.     315 

chanted  world.  Here  is  a  crystal  of  common  granite, 
one  of  the  earliest  minerals  found  in  the  earth's 
crust.  To  the  eye  it  has  no  particular  attractions, 
but  look  at  it  under  this  magical  transformer,  and  it 
is  glowing  with  beautiful  colors.  And  here  is  another 
substance  which  enters  largely  into  the  composition 
of  the  earth's  substance,  and  is  also  found  in  com- 
bination with  animal  structures,  when  it  is  productive 
of  many  remarkable  changes.  Here  is  one  made  up 
of  green  and  golden  chains  and  brooches,  changing 
to  an  intermixture  of  garnet  and  topaz.  Here  is 
another  of  prismatic  wheels,  where  the  same  colors 
predominate,  and  still  another,  where  the  red  take 
the  place  of  the  golden  rays.  Thus  we  may  go  on 
through  an  endless  scene  of  dazzling  transformations 
of  stars  and  crosses,  crescents  and  crowns,  pearls 
and  diamonds,  yet  we  are  dealing  with  but  one  of 
God's  precious  gifts— light !  By  its  aid  all  things 
else  are  seen,  yet  itself  seldom  noticed  when  thus 
ministering  to  our  happiness ;  but  lest  we  should  de- 
spise this  ever-faithful  servant,  the  rainbow  spreads 
ewer  the  heavens  the  evidences  of  its  beauty,  and 
the  microscope  brings  it  nearer  to  our  senses,  and 
reveals  it  modestly  hidden  in  the  cloud,  and  by  the 
process  we  have  just  been  considering  sets  it  before 
our  wondering  eyes  arrayed  in  more  glory  than  any- 
thing it  reveals. 


316     GREAT    WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

"  But  where  shall  we  stop  ?  Wonders  on  wonders 
throng  around  us  everywhere,  whether  we  look  up 
or  down,  in  the  rock  or  in  the  water,  in  the  plant  or 
in  the  animal,  in  life  or  in  death !  We  have  only 
begun,  and  can  never  reach  the  end,  so  we  may  as 
well  stop  here  and  praise  the  infinite  grace  which  has 
given  some  of  us  the  ability,  I  trust,  to  see  the  end 
of  all  true  knowledge,  the  beginning  and  the  end  of 
all  things :  '  Lift  up  your  eyes  on  high,  and  behold 
who  hath  created  these  things,  that  bringeth  out 
their  hosts  by  numbers ;  he  calleth  them  all  by 
names,  by  the  greatness  of  his  might,  for  that  he  is 
strong  in  power ;  not  one  faileth.'  " 


PC  f  wrpris*. 

27 »  .  317 


CHAPTER    XIX. 

THE  SURPRISE. 

is  our  closing  exhibition,"  said  Mr.  Wil- 
J-  lard,  his  voice  tremulous  with  suppressed  emo- 
tion. "  During  our  pleasant  interviews  what  strange 
things  have  come  to  us  through  these  little  tubes ! 
We  shall  now  turn  our  eyes  out  upon  the  world  with 
a  new  sense.  Henceforth  to  us  the  air  will  be  full 
of  life,  the  dry  land  heaped  up  with  the  living  and 
the  dead,  out  of  sight  to  the  great  mass  of  mankind, 
but  ever  present  to  our  quickened  senses.  With  our 
new  faculty  we  can  see  them  leaping,  crawling, 
boring,  flying,  all  around  and  all  above  us,  life 
everywhere,  death  everywhere,  within  and  without 
us,  intangible,  yet  sublimely  real ! 

"In  closing  these  stated  interviews  it  is  to  me  a 
pleasant  inference,  from  the  continued  interest  which 
you  have  manifested,  that  I  have  succeeded  to  a 
gratifying  extent  in  my  purpose  to  amuse  and  in- 
struct you,  and  far  above  this  emotion  is  the  devout 
thankfulness  which  I  feel  that  I  have  had  some 
humble  instrumentality  in  leading  some  of  you  to 

319 


320     GREAT    WONDERS    IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

the  fountain  of  life.  It  would  be  impossible  for 
me  to  express  the  deep  emotions  which  I  yesterday 
felt  as  I  witnessed  your  professions  of  love  to  the 
precious  Kedeemer,  and  heard  your  lips  give  testi- 
mony to  the  fact  that  my  efforts  had  been  thus  highly 
owned  of  God.  Oh  that  others  of  my  dear  pupils 
may  be  led  in  the  same  gracious  way !  for  '  I  have 
no  greater  joy  than  to  hear  that  my  children  walk 
in  truth.' 

"  Be  assured  I  shall  ever  hold  in  the  sweetest  re- 
membrance the  occasion  which  has  brought  us  so 
intimately  into  communion  with  the  marvelous  works 
of  God,  and,  as  an  inseparable  result,  into  closer  and 
dearer  relations  to  each  other. 

"  Before  closing  these  delightful  and  stated  inter- 
views permit  me  once  more  to  try  and  impress  upon 
you  a  profound  determination  to  cherish  the  grand 
moral  lessons  which  we  may  deduce  from  the  subject 
that  has  so  delightfully  employed  our  time.  The 
study  of  atomic  life  shows  us  how  minute  is  God's 
searching  inspection  into  all  the  economy  of  nature, 
and  does  he  not  look  as  minutely  into  all  the  subtle 
depths  of  thought  and  action  ?  It  can  be  truly  said, 
1  He  knoweth  our  thoughts  afar  off;'  he  traces  all 
their  sources,  and  notes  all  their  moral  shadings ;  he 
sees  what  may  escape  our  closest  inspection.  We 
are  accustomed  to  speak  of  the  springs  in  the  moun- 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.     321 

tain-side  as  the  sources  whence  God  fills  up  the  great 
and  wide  sea,  and  in  so  doing  show  our  ignorance  of 
God's  wondrous  ways.  It  is  not  in  the  mountain 
spring  nor  the  glittering  drop  of  morning-dew  that 
God  treasures  up  his  watery  stores :  his  fountains  are 
invisible. 

"I  take  this  glass  tumbler  and  wipe  from  its 
outer  surface  all  moisture,  then  fill  it  with  water. 
I  can  place  the  water  within,  but  God  will  not  use 
the  fountain  which  I  can  measure  to  represent  his 
resources.  Like  the  animalcules,  they  are  hidden  in 
their  minuteness,  yet  everywhere  present.  Mark  how 
we  can  detect  them.  I  place  in  this  glass  of  water 
a  small  piece  of  ice.  Now  you  notice  the  surface, 
hitherto  clear,  so  that  you  could  look  through  the 
tumbler  and  contents,  begins  to  grow  dim  and  shuts 
out  our  gaze.  I  draw  my  finger  down  the  outside 
of  the  glass  and  a  stream  of  water  follows  it !  God's 
ocean  reservoirs  are  the  invisible  atoms  of  moisture 
diffused  throughout  the  atmosphere,  and  when  he 
wishes  to  water  the  earth  and  fill  up  the  sea,  he 
'  bringeth  the  cold  out  of  the  North,'  and  the  hidden 
treasures  of  the  rain  start  from  their  hiding-places 
to  go  forth  with  the  voice  of  thunder  to  do  his 
gracious  bidding :  '  He  causeth  the  vapors  to  ascend 
from  the  ends  of  the  earth ;  he  maketh  lightnings 
for  the  rain;  he  bringeth  the  wind  out  of  his 
V 


322   GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

treasures.'  What  a  wonderful  unity  in  all  God's 
works ! 

"  We  have  also  learned  how  infinitely  far-reaching 
is  his  abounding  goodness.  He  organizes  the  ani- 
malcule the  fifty- thousandth  part  of  an  inch  in 
length,  and  hides  him  away  from  the  sight  of  man, 
but  does  not  neglect  him  because  of  his  insignificance 
and  seeming  uselessness.  He  makes  provision  for  all 
his  wants,  furnishing  materials  with  which  to  build 
a  house,  and  a  storehouse  from  whence  he  may  draw 
supplies  for  himself  and  to  nourish  his  young.  Can 
we  suppose  that  a  God  so  careful  of  such  insignifi- 
cance will  in  any  way  neglect  those  whom  he  created 
in  his  own  image  ?  To  assure  us  of  his  minute  care- 
fulness, he  tells  us  that  the  '  hairs  of  your  heads  are 
all  numbered' — a  fact  which  we  do  not  know  and 
never  will  find  out,  but  he  has  booked  them  all,  and 
not  one  shall  be  plucked  out  but  he  takes  the  care 
of  its  disposal.  Oh  what  a  precious  song  is  the 
twenty-third  Psalm!  Who  can  repeat  it  without 
feeling  the  blessed  assurance  with  which  it  closes  ? — 
'  Surely  goodness  and  mercy  shall  follow  me  all  the 
days  of  my  life,  and  I  will  dwell  in  the  house  of  the 
Lord  for  ever !' 

"Too  many  entertain  the  idea  that  God's  provi- 
dence is  shown  only  in  the  general,  and  that  he  is 
ever  on  the  watch  to  trap  the  erring,  and  hasty  and 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    323 

severe  to  punish.  Whereas,  whether  we  learn  his 
goodness  from  the  study  of  nature  or  the  pages  of 
revelation,  the  very  reverse  is  true.  His  care  is 
minute  and  individual,  and  his  forbearance  and  long- 
suffering  wonderful.  He  is  not  willing  to-  punish, 
but  ever  ready  to  forgive.  While  he  searches  out 
all  our  little  sins,  he  does  not  supply  only  our  great 
wants ;  while  he  holds  us  accountable  for  a  vain 
thought,  he  does  not  heal  only  a  broken  bone.  No, 
no !  He  is  minute  and  particular  in  blessing,  also. 
He  marks  carefully  the  coming  danger,  and  sends 
his  guardian  angel  to  ward  off  the  calamity.  His 
eye  beholds  the  corpuscle  of  blood  bearing  the  seeds 
of  disease  to  the  citadel  of  life,  and  turns  it  from 
its  fatal  pathway  to  exhale  through  the  pores  of  the 
skin,  and  the  waiting  winds  bear  the  miasmic  seed 
away,  and  the  plague  comes  not  nigh  our  dwelling. 
His  eye  beholds  the  devious  pathway  in  which  your 
feet  are  treading,  from  which  his  hand  removes  the 
danger  and  builds  a  firm  foundation  for  each  foot- 
step. 

'  The  steps  of  faith  fall  on  a  seeming  void, 
And  find  a  rock  beneath.' 

"  Let  us,  then,  look  up  from  the  infinitely  small 
to  the  INFINITELY  GREAT,  and  in  so  doing  we  shall 
find  a  Jacob's  ladder  from  the  one  to  the  other,  on 


324     GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

which  not  only  angels,  but  every  devout  heart,  can 
ascend  to  heaven.  The  rock  that  pillows  the  head 
or  forms  the  footsteps,  the  drop  of  animated  water, 
the  minute  shell  or  fossil,  if  our  minds  are  quickened 
to  spiritual  apprehension,  will  be  our  '  Ebenezer,' 
bringing  a  devout  realization  of  the  divine  presence, 
and  we  shall  be  enabled  exultingly  to  say,  '  Surely 
the  Lord  was  in  this  place.'  Too  often,  alas!  we 
fail  to  recognize  his  presence  or  to  ascend  one  round 
of  the  ladder  toward  heaven,  where  he  is  seated  who 
created  all  things  by  the  word  of  his  power.  God 
has  placed  man  at  the  head  of  all,  to  the  intent  that 
he  might  glorify  him  with  devout  love  and  thanks- 
giving. How  ungrateful  and  groveling  must  he  be 
who  can  refrain  from  giving  him  the  honor  due  unto 
his  name ! 

"We  must  not  fail  to  learn  one  more  lesson  to 
guide  us  in  the  delightful  work  of  doing  good. 
Many  children  think  that  because  they  cannot  do 
some  great  and  striking  act,  such  as  men  perform, 
therefore  they  must  wait  until  they  grow  up  to  man- 
hood before  they  try  to  do  anything.  But  the  truth 
taught  us  by  the  study  of  little  things  is  quite  dif- 
ferent from  this.  It  teaches  us  that  the  many  little 
things  make  up  the  great  thing.  The  polyp  is  not 
the  coral  island,  but  the  island  is  the  polyps'  work. 
Thus  it  is  not  by  one  act  of  kindness,  however  great 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    325 

it  may  be,  that  one  becomes  entitled  to  the  blessed  ap- 
pellation of  a  merciful  man.  To  win  this  Godlike  dis- 
tinction, there  must  be  a  habit  of  doing  good — a  habit 
which  will  enter  into  the  smallest  affairs  of  life.  It  is 
said  that '  charity  gives  away  more  pence  than  pounds/ 
meaning  that  he  who  gives  away  a  penny  a  day  un- 
til it  makes  a  pound  does  more  good  than  he  who 
gives  it  by  one  act.  Each  penny  may  bring  a  bless- 
ing from  the  poor,  while  the  pound  will  invoke  but 
one.  True  kindness  is  not  one  act,  but  the  spirit  that 
pervades  all  actions.  Do  all  the  little  kindnesses 
you  possibly  can,  and  great  ones  will  be  accomplished 
before  you  are  aware. 

'  Oh  may  our  sympathizing  hearts 
That  generous  pleasure  know, 
Kindly  to  share  in  others*  joy, 
To  weep  for  others'  woe  ! 

'  When  poor  and  helpless  sons  of  grief 

In  deep  distress  are  laid, 
Soft  be  our  hearts  their  pains  to  feel, 
And  swift  our  hands  to  aid.' 

"  The  sanguinary  struggle  in  the  Crimea  is  a  com- 
paratively recent  historical  event.  During  its  pro- 
gress, I  read  the  stirring  reports  of  battles  and  sieges 
with  at  least  ordinary  carefulness,  yet  how  soon  they 
have  passed  from  the  memory !  Generals  of  un- 
doubted skill  and  bravery  fought  and  perished  there, 

28 


326     GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

yet  of  all  their  names  and  deeds  I  can  distinctly  re- 
member but  one,  General  Cathcart,  and  I  do  this  by 
associating  his  name  with  a  minister  who  is  my  per- 
sonal friend.  But  the  Lord  has  said,  '  If  any  man 
serve  me,  him  will  my  Father  honor/  There  are 
two  names  connected  with  the  Crimean  war  which 
will  never  be  forgotten — Florence  Nightingale  and 
Hedley  Vicars.  Amid  the  dread  struggle  of  arms  their 
deeds  were  unnoticed,  and  their  names  only  heard  in 
gentle  whispers  on  the  lips  of  the  suffering  and  dying 
to  whom  they  ministered  and  brought  the  consola- 
tion of  a  Saviour's  love.  But  while  the  fame  of  the 
worldly  hero  dies  away  almost  as  soon  as  the  thunder 
of  the  cannon  by  which  his  victories  were  won,  the 
glory  of  these  heroic  servants  of  God  is  spread  wider 
and  wider,  and  brightens  with  every  increasing  circle. 
It  is  a  most  striking  illustration  of  the  power  of 
goodness  that  the  long  and  fearful  struggles-  of  four 
great  nations  produced  no  name  which  will  be 
cherished  so  long  and  lovingly  as  that  of  a  modest 
Christian  woman,  who,  in  the  spirit  of  her  Master, 
'did  what  she  could.'  Wherever  history  portrays 
the  scenes  of  that  Crimean  contest,  her  deeds  will  be 
told  '  as  a  memorial  of  her.'  This  will  be  true  also, 
though  perhaps  in  a  less  degree,  of  Captain  Vicars, 
who,  amid  the  temptations  and  conflicts  of  the  camp 
and  battle,  could  serve  his"  Master  as  faithfully  as  he 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    327 

did  his  queen.  Generals  and  colonels  who  per- 
ished on  the  same  sanguine  field  will  pass  from 
memory,  but  the  humble  subaltern  who  loved  his 
Bible  and  his  Saviour,  and  who  not  only  owned  him 
in  theory,  but  imitated  him  in  practice,  will  live  in 
fragrant  remembrance  while  there  is  a  Christian  heart 
to  be  stimulated  by  his  saintly  example. 

"Be  assured,  my  beloved  children,  that  it  is '  more 
blessed  to  give  than  to  receive/  If  you  fail  to  under- 
stand and  practice  this  grace,  you  will  live  to  little 
purpose,  and  I  shall  have  failed  also  in  one  main  in- 
tention of  all  my  instructions ;  but  hoping  other 
things  of  you,  I  shall  cherish  the  expectation  that 
the  world  will  be, the  better  for  your  living  in  it. 

"  And  now,  beloved  pupils,  trusting  that  I  have 
more  than  repaid  you  for  the  disappointment  experi- 
enced because  of  my  refusal  to  allow  you  the  oppor- 
tunity to  attend  the  departed  exhibition,  I  will  dis- 
miss you  with  a  most  fervent  supplication  that  God 
will  bless  to  your  present  and  eternal  welfare  the  in- 
struction which  I  have  tried  to  impart.  To  some  of 
you  I  rejoice  to  know  this  blessed  consummation 
has  already  come,  but  how  many  are  yet  undecided 
or  entirely  neglectful !  Let  me  call  the  attention  of 
such  to  another  fact  which  we  have  learned  during 
our  investigation — the  stupendous  results  of  weak, 
insignificant  agencies  when  left  unimpeded  to  do 


328     GREAT   WONDERS   IN    LITTLE   THINGS. 

their  work.  A  day's  hesitation,  a  thoughtless  word, 
an  unguarded  act,  may  fix  the  destinies  of  eternity ! 
Little  hindrances,  which  may  now  be  easily  put  out 
of  the  way,  may  grow  by  neglect  to  insuperable 
difficulties. 

"One  bright  spring  afternoon  I  was  engaged 
dressing  some  flowers  in  my  garden.  A  small  cloud 
arose,  and  a  flake  of  snow  floated  on  its  jeweled  wing 
down  to  the  spot  where  I  was  stirring  the  earth 
around  my  plants.  What  is  weaker  or  more  easily 
put  out  of  the  way  than  a  flake  of  snow  ?  But  all 
night  the  flakes  came  down  silently  and  softly,  until 
in  the  morning  they  were  heaped  and  heaped  into 
mountains  of  whiteness.  I  was  to  start  on  a  journey 
that  morning,  but  on  the  railroad  over  which  I  was 
to  travel  there  were  nine  most  powerful  locomotives 
striving  in  vain  to  clear  a  pathway.  My  journey 
was  out  of  the  question.  My  loss  was  the  failure  to 
meet  some  dear  friends,  an  occasion  of  much  regret, 
but  not  of  self-condemnation  or  irreparable  injury. 

"  It  may  be  that  some  cause  as  trifling  as  the  little 
snowflake  may  now  be  settling  down  on  the  pathway 
of  some  of  my  dear  pupils.  A  brush  of  determina- 
tion and  it  is  gone,  but  neglected,  it  will  multiply 
with  fearful  strength  and  rapidity,  and,  before  you 
are  fully  conscious  of  your  danger,  place  your  soul 
beyond  the  possibility  of  hope.  Who  will  run  the 


GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.    329 

fearful  risk?  Whatever  of  pleasure  and  informa- 
tion I  may  have  given  you  during  these  pleasant 
reunions,  I  should  feel  recreant  to  my  duty  did  I  not 
urge  you,  by  all  the  considerations  drawn  from  the 
value  of  your  souls,  the  love  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  the  realities  of  eternity,  to  make  this  sub- 
ject the  first  all-absorbing  subject;  and  may  the  God 
of  all  grace  bring  you  all  to  know  Christ  here  and 
to  share  his  glory  hereafter ! 

"  Should  his  gracious  benediction  thus  come  down 
upon  you,  I  am  sure  that  my  own  happiness  will  be 
enhanced  beyond  the  power  of  expression,  and  I 
shall  count  the  time  spent  in  these  hours  of  investi- 
gation as  among  the  richest  of  my  life.  May  God 
bless  you,  beloved  children,  and  make  you  as  happy 
and  useful  as  my  devoutest  wishes  would  have  you, 
and  then  beyond  all  peradventure  your  lives  will 
be  a  blessing  to  the  world  and  your  future  a  glorious 
rest!" 

At  the  assembling  of  the  school  in  the  afternoon 
there  was  noticed  under  Alf  Green's  desk  an  ob- 
long package.  It  was  the  beautiful  rosewood  box, 
handsomely  inlaid  with  silver,  which  contained  a 
splendid  microscope  of  fine  workmanship  and  high 
power,  with  all  the  requisites  for  its  manipulation. 
Each  scholar  had  contributed  something  toward  its 
purchase,  and  had  so  carefully  concealed  the  matter 

28* 


330     GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS. 

that  Mr.  Willard  was  wholly  unconscious  of  what 
was  coming. 

Alf  drew  the  box  from  its  resting-place,  and  hold- 
ing it  in  his  hand,  approached  the  desk  where  the 
teacher  was  still  standing.  It  was  some  moments 
before  the  excited  boy  could  sufficiently  control  him- 
self to  discharge  the  pleasant  duty  which  his  fellow- 
pupils  had  assigned  him.  But  after  some  choking 
and  stammering,  he  said : 

"Beloved  teacher,  I'm  doubly  favored  to-day, 
being  not  only  an  equal  sharer  in  the  delightful  in- 
terviews which  are  now  about  to  close,  but  I  have 
been  selected  by  my  schoolmates  to  present  to  you 
a  slight  token  of  our  affection  and  gratitude  for  your 
kind  efforts  to  amuse  and  instruct  us.  These  hours 
have  not  only  given  us  much  present  gratification, 
but  will,  I'm  sure,  be  to  most  of  us  sources  of  last- 
ing profit.  We  shall  go  forth  impressed  with  the 
wisdom  and  goodness  of  God  as  never  before,  and 
with  a  thirst  for  still  farther  researches  into  the 
strange  world  to  which  you  have  introduced  us  so 
kindly.  We  think,  too,  that  we  shall  better  under- 
stand our  relations  to  those  around  us — to  the  poor- 
est as  well  as  the  most. favored,  and  especially  to  our 
gracious  Creator.  Your  instructions  have  given  a 
value  and  interest  to  common  and  even  despised  ob- 
jects that  will  invest  them  with  a  new  charm  to  us. 


GREAT    WONDERS   IN   LITTLE   THINGS.     331 

"  To  do  all  this  for  us  has  taken  much  of  your 
time  to  which  we  had  no  just  claim,  and  also  must 
have  put  you  to  considerable  trouble  and  expense. 
You  were  under  no  obligation  to  compensate  us  for 
your  refusal  to  allow  us  to  attend  the  show.  Now, 
had  we  attended  the  menagerie  as  many  successive 
days  as  we've  spent  with  you,  we  shouldn't  have  en- 
joyed ourselves  near  as  much,  nor  treasured  up  as 
much  information.  Most  of  what  was  there  seen 
was  familiar  to  us,  but  here  we  have  entered  into 
new  scenes,  so  strange  that  they  almost  seem  like  a 
dream. 

"Now,  we  children  have  reckoned  up  what  it 
would  have  cost  to  attend  so  often  the  show  that 
has  gone,  and  think  that  we  ought  to  put  into  a 
shape  that  will  be  pleasing  to  you  at  least  a  part  of 
that  amount.  This  our  parents  have  approved.  We 
have  understood  that  you  had  to  borrow  the  instru- 
ments used  during  these  pleasant  hours,  and  that  you 
may  not  have  to  do  it  again,  in  behalf  of  my  fellow- 
pupils,  both  girls  and  boys,  I  beg  leave  to  present  to 
you  this  microscope,  the  best  that  Dr.  Newton  could 
select,  with  the  box  and  all  necessary  things  to  make 
it  complete.  Valuable  as  it  is,  we  do  not  wish  you 
to  regard  it  as  at  all  expressing  the  strength  of  our 
love  and  gratitude  for  your  deep  and  continuous  in- 
terest in  our  welfare." 


332     GREAT   WONDERS   IN   LITTLE  THINGS. 

While  Alf  was  delivering  his  well-conned  speech, 
which  older  heads  had  helped  him  to  prepare,  Mr. 
Willard  stood  quite  overwhelmed  with  this  wholly 
unexpected  demonstration,  until  he  could  restrain 
himself  no  longer,  and  the  tears  flowed  freely.  When 
the  box  was  placed  in  his  hands  he  was  so  confused 
as  hardly  to  know  what  to  do  with  it,  turning  it 
around  and  around,  as  if  in  doubt  whether  to  keep 
it  or  not.  But  when  sufficiently  collected  to  respond, 
he  said : 

"My  beloved  pupils,  you  have  got  the  better  of 
me  at  last.  I  did  not  anticipate  so  speedy  an  illus- 
tration of  your  just  comprehension  of  the  spirit  of  my 
last  lesson.  It  is  indeed  more  blessed  to  give  than  to 
receive,  and  however  valuable  this  splendid  instru- 
ment may  be,  it  will  bear  no  comparison  in  my  esti- 
mation to  the  cherished  affection  of  which  it  is  an 
expression.  Wherever  my  lot  may  be  cast  in  the 
future,  and  whatever  other  scenes  may  engage  my 
attention  or  friendships  entwine  around  my  heart,  of 
one  thing  I  am  sure — the  old  brown  school-house  at 
Woodlawn,  and  the  noble,  loving  band  of  youth  who 
greeted  me  beneath  its  roof,  will  ever  be  among  the 
brightest  and  sweetest  treasures  of  memory,  and  I 
shall  ever  bless  the  occasion  which  has  served  to  bind 
our  hearts  so  indissolubly  together." 

Most  warmly  did  the  children  respond  to  these 


GREAT    WONDERS   IN    LITTLE   THINGS.     333 

ardent  sentiments  of  their  affectionate  teacher,  as 
was  evinced  by  their  tearful  eyes. 

When  the  school  was  dismissed  they  clustered 
around  their  teacher,  and,  with  a  hearty  grasp  of  the 
hand,  each  gave  personally  a  token  of  the  affection 
which  had  been  more  publicly  expressed.  Then  they 
scattered  to  their  homes  to  renew  the  happiness  of 
the  day  by  recounting  its  pleasures  to  their  gratified 
parents 


